Editing Özel Harp Dairesi (section)

==Connection to Operation Gladio==
[[Operation Gladio]] was a NATO- and CIA-orchestrated “stay-behind” operation across Western Europe and allied countries to prepare for guerrilla resistance against a potential Soviet invasion. In Turkey, the ÖHD/Counter-Guerrilla was the local branch of this operation, explicitly linked to NATO’s Allied Coordination Committee (ACC) and the CIA, with a broader mission to counter communism domestically and regionally.
===Establishment and NATO/CIA Ties:===
Turkey joined NATO in 1952, and the STK was established that year as part of NATO’s “Super NATO” structure, operating under CIA control from the JUSMATT building in Ankara. A 1959 U.S.-Turkey military accord explicitly allowed the Counter-Guerrilla to act against “internal rebellion against the regime,” expanding its role beyond Soviet threats.

The ÖHD was funded and trained by the U.S., with American special warfare manuals (e.g., FM 31/16, FM 31/21) translated into Turkish for training in counter-guerrilla tactics, sabotage, and psychological warfare.

Key figures, including Alparslan Türkeş, a founding member and later leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and its Grey Wolves youth wing, were trained by the CIA, suggesting recruitment into Gladio’s broader network.
===Shared Objectives and Tactics:===
Like other Gladio branches (e.g., Italy’s Gladio, Belgium’s Glavia), the ÖHD aimed to prevent communist influence through covert operations, including false-flag attacks and support for militias. The 1955 Istanbul Pogrom and the 1970s violence against leftists and Kurds mirror Gladio’s “strategy of tension” in Europe, designed to create fear and justify authoritarian measures.

The ÖHD’s civilian arm, known as the White Forces, included “patriotic volunteers” who were secretly armed and trained, similar to Gladio’s civilian networks in other countries. These volunteers were implicated in political assassinations, such as that of journalist Abdi İpekçi, and the escape of his killer, Mehmet Ali Ağca, linked to the Grey Wolves.

The ÖHD’s involvement in the 1971 and 1980 military coups, led by figures like General Kenan Evren (head of Counter-Guerrilla), reflects Gladio’s role in supporting “anti-communist” regimes. High-ranking ÖHD officers, including Memduh Tağmaç, Faik Türün, and Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu, were key coup plotters.
===Ziverbey Interrogations:===
After the 1971 coup, the Ziverbey Villa in Istanbul was used by the Counter-Guerrilla for brutal interrogations of leftists, including intellectuals like İlhan Selçuk and Uğur Mumcu. Interrogators identified themselves as “Counter-Guerrillas,” claiming to be above the law, using techniques learned from U.S. methods during the Korean War.

These interrogations, involving torture inspired by Korean War POW methods, were part of Gladio’s broader anti-communist campaign, targeting perceived subversive elements.

===Aginter Press and International Links:===
The CIA-backed [[Aginter Press]], a Gladio-affiliated front in Portugal, trained militants in covert operations, including those potentially linked to Turkish operatives. While direct evidence of ÖHD collaboration with Aginter Press is limited, their shared “anti-communist” goals and CIA connections suggest possible coordination, particularly in Cyprus and against leftist movements in the region.

===Secrecy and Exposure:===
The ÖHD’s Gladio connection was officially acknowledged in 1990 by Generals Doğan Beyazıt and Kemal Yilmaz, who confirmed its role in preparing for “communist occupation” but denied Counter-Guerrilla activities, despite evidence to the contrary. This followed former CIA chief [[William Colby]]’s revelation of a Turkish Gladio branch.

Unlike Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland, which conducted parliamentary inquiries into Gladio, Turkey did not fully investigate the ÖHD, and its activities remained largely unaccountable. Former President Süleyman Demirel described the “deep state” as the military itself, suggesting the ÖHD’s integration into Turkey’s state structure.

The 1996 Susurluk scandal, involving a car crash revealing ties between ÖHD operatives, the Grey Wolves, and organized crime, and the 2007 Ergenekon investigations, which arrested ÖHD-linked figures like Veli Küçük and Arif Doğan (JITEM founders), exposed some of its operations, but censorship of JITEM archives limited accountability.