Israel planned to kill Erdogan: Report

Turkish media sources detail information implicating the Israeli Mossad in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

An e-mail found on a personal computer belonging to one of the members of the underground Ergenekon organization exposed Mossad's role in the failed assassination efforts against Erdogan, Turkish media outlets reported on Friday.

The organization has been accused of orchestrating a coup plot against the current Turkish administration.

The indictment list tabled by the Turkish prosecution against the organization says that an Israeli journalist had sent the e-mail to a number of Ergenekon figures to inform them of Israeli readiness to assassinate the Turkish premier.

According to sources in the Turkish press, the e-mail promised support for Mr. Dugo -- whose identity has not been revealed -- against Erdogan after coordination with Mossad chief Meir Dagan.

The e-mail explained that the Mossad would wait for a green light from Mr. Dugo to carry on with the assassination plans.

Turkish sources have claimed Mr. Dugo to be Turkish Labor Party head Dugo Prinitchek -- who is suspected of leading the secret organization.

The news of an alleged Israeli role in the plot comes after a report last month suggested that Tel Aviv sought to stage regime change in Turkey in response to Ankara's condemnation of Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Tensions between Israel and Turkey emerged in late January, when Erdogan stormed out of a Davos forum after a heated debate with Israeli President Shimon Peres on the military aggression brought upon Gaza.

The Turkish prime minister walked out of the debate -- attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other panel members --, while complaining that his comments on the conflict were cut short by the Washington Post's moderator David Ignatius.

Erdogan had told Peres at the Forum, "When it comes to killing, you know very well how to kill."

The criticism was leveled at the Israeli killing of over 1,350 Gazans amid a crippling 20-month blockade on the densely-populated Palestinian sliver.