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Turkey ministers Caglayan and Guler resign amid scandal Turkey ministers Caglayan, Guler and Bayraktar resign amid scandal
(about 3 hours later)
Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammer Guler have resigned after their sons were charged amid a corruption inquiry that has hit the government. Three Turkish ministers have resigned after their sons were arrested amid a corruption scandal that has hit the government of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Twenty-four people have been charged as part of the investigation, including the head of state-owned Halkbank. Announcing his decision, Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar said the prime minister should also step down.
In a statement, Mr Caglayan condemned the inquiry as an "ignoble operation". Two of the ministers' sons are among 24 people charged, who include the head of the state-owned Halkbank.
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to "break the hands" of rivals who used the inquiry to undermine his rule. The prime minister has threatened to "break the hands" of rivals who used the inquiry to undermine his rule.
Mr Caglayan's son Kaan and Baris Guler, the interior minister's son, have both denied accusations of involvement in bribery relating to urban development projects and the allocation of construction permits. He has referred to a "dark plot" by forces outside Turkey.
In response to the police crackdown, a number of police commissioners have been removed from their posts, including the head of police in Istanbul. In response to the police crackdown, dozens of senior police officials have been removed from their posts, including the head of police in Istanbul.
The economy minister, in his statement, said he was stepping down "so that all the light may be laid on this ignoble operation that targets our government". It was obvious the police raids had been a "set-up", he added. All three ministers had appeared with Mr Erdogan in front of a crowd of supporters on Tuesday night on his return to Esenboga airport in Ankara from a trip to Pakistan.
Muammer Guler had earlier argued there were no legal grounds for his son's arrest for bribery as he was not a public official. First to announce their resignations on Wednesday were Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammer Guler, whose sons have both been charged in connection with the inquiry.
He said on Wednesday he had originally offered his resignation to the prime minister on 17 December, the day of his son's arrest. "Today I have submitted it in written form." Kaan Caglayan and Baris Guler have both denied accusations of involvement in bribery relating to urban development projects and the allocation of construction permits.
Mr Caglayan had just returned to the capital, Ankara, on Tuesday night at the end of a trip to Pakistan with the prime minister. He appeared with Mr Erdogan in front of a crowd of supporters at Esenboga airport hours before his resignation was announced. In a statement, Mr Caglayan condemned the inquiry as a set-up and said he was stepping down "so that all the light may be laid on this ignoble operation that targets our government".
The opposition had demanded that both ministers step down and on Sunday anti-government protesters took to the streets of Istanbul demonstrating against the scandal. A few hours later, the environment minister told Turkish TV he was leaving his post. "For the sake of the wellbeing of this nation and country, I believe the prime minister should resign," he said.
His son was arrested and questioned in connection with the corruption investigation but later released without any formal charge.
Mr Bayraktar said he himself was not implicated in the scandal but it was the prime minister's right to remove whoever he wished.
"But I don't accept any pressure to resign... because a big majority of construction plans laid down and approved in the investigation dossier were carried out with the approval of the prime minister".
Addressing supporters at the airport late on Tuesday, Mr Erdogan said the 17 December arrests had targeted "the national will, the people", the Hurriyet newspaper reported.
The opposition had demanded that the ministers step down and on Sunday anti-government protesters took to the streets of Istanbul demonstrating against the scandal.
The prime minister came to power in 2002 as head of the Islamist-rooted AK Party and commentators say the arrest of figures linked to the government and the subsequent police dismissals are part of an internal party feud.The prime minister came to power in 2002 as head of the Islamist-rooted AK Party and commentators say the arrest of figures linked to the government and the subsequent police dismissals are part of an internal party feud.
Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, in exile in the US, is seen as a rival to Mr Erdogan, and his Hizmet movement has supporters in the police and judiciary.Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, in exile in the US, is seen as a rival to Mr Erdogan, and his Hizmet movement has supporters in the police and judiciary.
Mr Erdogan himself has referred to a "dark plot" by forces outside Turkey.
Addressing supporters at the airport late on Tuesday, he said the 17 December arrests had targeted "the national will, the people", the Hurriyet newspaper reported.
"I believe those who say the people will win and those who aspire to humiliate will lose again."
'Shoe boxes''Shoe boxes'
Among those arrested by investigators were the son of Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar, the chief executive of state-run Halkbank, Suleyman Aslan, and a mayor of a conservative area of Istanbul. Among those arrested by investigators was the chief executive of state-run Halkbank, Suleyman Aslan, and a mayor of a conservative area of Istanbul.
The head of Halkbank has been charged with receiving bribes. Turkish media report that $4.5m (£2.7m; 3.2m euros) in cash was found in shoe boxes at his home. Mr Aslan has been charged with receiving bribes. Turkish media report that $4.5m (£2.7m; 3.2m euros) in cash was found in shoe boxes at his home.
His bank, one of Turkey's biggest, has drawn criticism in the US for enabling the purchase of Iranian natural gas in return for Turkish gold. An Iranian-Azerbaijani businessman was one of those detained, on suspicion of involvement in irregular financial transactions.His bank, one of Turkey's biggest, has drawn criticism in the US for enabling the purchase of Iranian natural gas in return for Turkish gold. An Iranian-Azerbaijani businessman was one of those detained, on suspicion of involvement in irregular financial transactions.
Halkbank has insisted the practice was lawful before it was stopped in June as a result of EU and US sanctions on Tehran.Halkbank has insisted the practice was lawful before it was stopped in June as a result of EU and US sanctions on Tehran.
The Turkish government says the corruption scandal has wiped more than $1bn from the bank's market value.The Turkish government says the corruption scandal has wiped more than $1bn from the bank's market value.