Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli was in İstanbul's Silivri district on Monday to see former Chief of General Staff retired Gen. İlker Bashbug and Gen. Engin Alan, also a MHP deputy, jailed in Silivri Prison Today`s Zaman reported.
Bahçeli was expected to be accompanied by other MHP officials, including Semih Yalcın, Ruhsar Demirel, Celal Adan and Atilla Kaya, during his visit. The MHP leader was granted permission from the Justice Ministry for the visit.
The MHP nominated Alan, a former special forces commander, in the general elections of 2011 while Alan was jailed and standing trial in connection with the Sledgehammer coup plot, which allegedly sought to undermine the government and lay the groundwork for a military takeover.
Bashbug, on the other hand, is being tried in connection with alleged membership in the Ergenekon terrorist organization and his involvement in issuing the infamous Internet memorandum, in which the General Staff sponsored websites that were launched for slander campaigns against the government.