TWENTY-ONE journalists were hauled before an Istanbul court yesterday to answer vague accusations of “involvement” in the attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Advertisement
Turkey has arrested almost half of its 358 generals for complicity in the July 15 failed coup, forcing a sudden reshuffle at the top of the military.
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US state of Pennsylvania since 1999, again maintained his innocence during an interview with Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, saying he had himself suffered from previous coups in Turkey.
“I have instructions from my government to follow up this matter and we will be very happy to obtain the support of Nigerian legislators on that issue”. Turkey is set to take over organizations, including hospitals and charities, with links to the Gulen movement in the East African country.
Gulen himself, in self-imposed exile since 1999, strongly denies the charges against him and has called on the United States to resist Ankara’s pressure for his extradition.
Cook’s comments comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Votel for commenting that some Turkish officers with whom the US had relations are now detained for their role in the attempted overthrow. “This is a known fact”, Erdogan said.
The US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says that numerous Turkish officers removed by Turkey played a key role in the fight against Islamic State.
“At all levels of our military hierarchy, we are in regular communication with our Turkish counterparts”. “It’s not up to you to make that decision”, he said, referring to Votel’s comments. My people know who is involved in this plot, and who is the mastermind.
Turkey has been one of the United States’ most important partners in its campaign against the Islamic State, and the Pentagon’s ties with Ankara have also been among its most fraught. The human rights group said that raises concerns whether Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to strengthen his hold on power, eliminate political opponents and curb the country’s democratic tradition.
While both Clapper and Votel declined to comment when asked about Russia’s reputed role in the hack, citing an ongoing FBI investigation, Clapper said the country has a history of trying to influence political processes among its neighbors and it wouldn’t be a “great leap” to imagine they would also try that in the U.S.
The European Union and other countries, as well as human rights groups, have voiced increasing concern about the crackdown.
The interior minister said on Friday 18,000 people had so far been detained. Cakil also says the Turkish government regards the closure of the schools “a matter of national security”. The government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with his office’s regulations, said the revocations were a precaution against the flight risk of possible terror suspects. It has also been seeking to extend its crackdown on the network of schools and institutions overseas connected to his movement.
According to Cakil, investigations by the Turkish Government has linked the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation to the failed coup attempt, which claimed over 300 lives.
“And if there is even the slightest doubt that the (treatment) is improper, then the consequences will be inevitable”, he told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “Of course we will not do that”.
Meanwhile, Yildirim says all military bases and barracks used by putschists during the failed coup attempt two weeks ago will be ordered shuttered.
“We dismissed 34 personnel from the ministry within this framework”.
Advertisement
Cavusoglu, in an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung to be published Saturday, raised the possibility of a referendum on reintroducing capital punishment. “That’s what we believe, but we will continue to defend freedom of press and freedom of expression till the end”.
