Turkey court frees spy suspects

Mine allegation
The charges appeared to relate to civil activities – such as assisting with campaigning and educational activities in Kurdish communities.
One charge alleged that some of the foundations, which have a similar civil role as non-governmental organisations, helped communities in the west of Turkey mount a campaign against gold mining in the area on environmental grounds.
The charge said this aimed to prevent Turkey from exploiting its natural resources.
Our correspondent in Ankara, Jonny Dymond, says the foundation did indeed provide support to a local campaign against a mine – but that most governments recognise this type of civil activity as legitimate.
The foundations also assisted in the running of Kurdish language programmes.
The court seems to have agreed with the defendants that none of these activities could be construed as spying or an attempt to undermine the state.
Anti-EU theory
Our correspondent says the extremity of the charges prompted another theory regarding the true motivation of the charges. This suggests that anti-EU elements in Turkey manipulated the charges to breed hostility in Germany toward Turkey’s bid to join the EU. The charges were instigated by a nationalist prosecutor who has since retired, says news agency Associated Press.
Another prosecutor last week recommended the charges be dropped, it reports.