But the balance of power in this EU-candidate country appeared to have shifted Monday as police rounded up the 51 military commanders, following the gathering of wiretap evidence and discovery of an alleged secret coup plan, dubbed “the sledgehammer,” prepared when the commanders were on active duty between 2003 and 2005.

The nationwide sweep has dramatically deepened a power struggle between the secular establishment and the government, which has strong electoral backing and the European Union's support. Turkey's elite military -- known as “pashas,” a title of respect harking back to Ottoman times -- were once deemed untouchable.

“The most heavy sledgehammer to military custody,” read banner headline of daily Taraf, which has published leaked military documents that led to the detentions.

The English-language newspaper Today's Zaman said Tuesday that the operation was launched after experts determined the leaked documents were authentic. The government denies the ongoing crackdown is politically motivated or designed to silence government critics, as is claimed by opposition parties.

“This is not a legal process. This is apparently a sheer process of political showdown,” said Deniz Baykal, head of the main opposition Republican People's Party.

Devlet Bahceli, another opposition leader and head of the Nationalist Action Party, accused the government of carrying out a “political vendetta” and urging the sides to refrain from making inflammatory statements that could further fuel the tensions.

The suspects included former Air Force chief Gen. Ibrahim Firtina and Navy Chief Adm. Ozden Ornek, who allegedly chronicled some failed coup attempts, as well as ex-deputy chief Gen. Ergin Saygun -- who had accompanied Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his 2007 meeting with former President George W. Bush in Washington.

Also detained were the former head of the Special Forces, Gen. Engin Alan, and the former head of the 1st Army, Gen. Cetin Dogan.

All of the suspects, including nearly two dozen retired and active duty generals and admirals, were expected after questioning to appear Tuesday in an Istanbul court that is hearing all coup plot allegations.

The suspects face charges of attempting to topple the government by force, and membership in an illegal organization for that purpose, daily Milliyet said Tuesday.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the government is preparing to overhaul the judiciary and the Constitution, a legacy of the 1980 military coup and could even take the issue to a “referendum.”

“A new constitution would make it easier for us to enter the EU,” said Burhan Kuzu, head of a parliamentary commission in charge of constitutional amendments, at a conference Monday in central Anatolian city of Corum.