Turkish authorities issued warrants Wednesday for the detention of 47 former executives or senior journalists at the Zaman newspaper, which was associated with the USA -based Muslim cleric who the government says is behind Turkey’s failed July 15 coup.
Advertisement
Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possibly death on the night of the coup, denies the crackdown has wider aims and says the Gulen movement threatened democracy by attempting to build a “parallel state” within the military, media and civil service.
Turkey on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for 47 former staff of the once pro-Gulen Zaman newspaper suspected of links to the reclusive cleric.
Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak citing government sources reported they were linked to 59-year-old United States commander General John F. Campbell, a former commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces in Afghanistan seen as the mastermind behind the failed military coup.
Turkey’s premier meets top military commanders on Thursday over one of the most radical shake-ups in the armed forces’ history after a failed coup, which has already seen 149 generals dishonourably discharged.
The coup plotters used 35 aircraft, including 24 war planes and 37 helicopters, including eight gunships, during the course of the action, according to a statement from the army carried by local news agencies. Erdogan claims Gulen and his followers are at the root of the failed military coup.
Meanwhile, 1,700 military officers have been dismissed from their positions.
Speaking to Reuters, presidential sources have said Erdoğan has moved to launch a new process after opposition parties quickly took a clear stance against the coup initiative by factions within the military on July 15.
Fethullah Gulen said the Turkish president is “removing” numerous remaining obstacles to despotism in a post-coup crackdown.
The Turkish Interior Minister Efkana Ala has said that more than 15,000 people have been detained since the failed coup, with 8,113 people formally arrested and awaiting trial. “We have common interests, a common future”, said the prime minister.
The fact those involved in the coup were deployed there “prompts certain considerations”, said the official.
Earlier this week, warrants were issued against 42 other journalists, of whom 16 have been detained for questioning.
Advertisement
Kerry said the USA would consider Turkey’s request if Ankara were to submit “legitimate evidence [of Gulen’s involvement] that withstands scrutiny”.
