EU concerned at Turkish coup plot arrests

(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission on Tuesday voiced concern at the "serious allegations" of coup plotting levelled against dozens of senior defence figures in Turkey and called for "exemplary... fair" trials.

The allegations are a "a serious matter of concern" and "Turkish citizens are entitled to hear the entire truth on these cases," a spokeswoman for EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said.

"That's why the investigation must be exemplary and carried out in full respect of the principles and standards of a fair judicial process," spokeswoman Angela Filote added.

In the most dramatic move to date against the Turkish armed forces, police detained more than 40 suspects Monday over a purported plan codenamed "Operation Sledgehammer" to topple the Islamist-rooted administration.

The suspects allegedly planned to bomb mosques and escalate tensions with Greece in a bid to force the downing of a Turkish jet, thus discrediting the government and forcing its downfall.

"We're following very closely" events in Istanbul, the EU spokeswoman said.

Turkey has been an official EU candidate country since 2004, but the talks have proceeded slowly since then, with no firm offer of eventual membership on the table.

Brussels has been consistently critical of the pace of reforms in Turkey while Ankara's refusal to deal normally with EU member Cyprus is another major stumbling block to its candidacy.

On top of that some EU nations have a more fundamental reluctance to allow such a large and largely Muslim nation into the European club.