“You are taking the side of coup plotters instead of thanking this state for defeating the coup attempt” on July 15 that left more than 300 dead on the streets of Istanbul and Ankara.
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The clampdown is targeting those suspected of ties to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government accuses of masterminding the plot.
In a statement posted Wednesday on its website, the Turkish-American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) said it is very anxious about “the long-term adverse impact that recent events might have on higher education, academic freedom, and scientific advancement in Turkey”, and urged government leaders to elevate democracy and academic freedom in the country.
“There’s no question this is going to set back and make more hard cooperation with the Turks”, Clapper said.
Cavusoglu warned allies that relations would sour if they refuse to cooperate with Turkey’s extradition requests. But what are these gentlemen anxious about? Erdogan has ordered the arrest of 149 generals and admirals – 40 percent of the country’s 358 top officers – which has gutted the leadership of the largely secular military, which differs ideologically from the increasingly Islamist Erdogan.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš has also announced his country’s readiness to receive the academics who have been sacked or threatened by the Turkish government following the failed coup attempt that took place in the country to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara blames the reclusive cleric for the failed July 15 coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Washington later dismissed the allegations against the general, with White House press secretary Josh Earnest calling them unsubstantiated.
Turkey’s top military commanders met yesterday to replace nearly half of their generals in a radical shake-up after the failed coup, as authorities shut down dozens of media outlets in a widening crackdown.
The purges have also hit government ministries, schools and universities, the police, civil service, media and business.
“Putin is somewhat of a throwback, not to the communist era but more of a throwback to the czar era”, he said. He has also been accused of managing the soldiers involved in the rebellion, the daily said, citing sources close to the investigation. Those air operations were temporarily halted following the coup attempt. “We appreciate Turkey’s continuing cooperation and look forward to our future partnership in the counter-ISIL fight”, the general said, referring to IS.
Nevertheless, there is a growing anti-U.S. mood in Turkey which is likely to harden further if Washington refuses to extradite Gulen.
The crackdown on Gulenists pressed on unabated on Friday.
Such a change would require a constitutional amendment, so Erdogan’s Justice and Development party would require the support of opposition forces in parliament.
The prosecutor said on Thursday that members of what it describes as “the Fethullah Terrorist Organization” were trained by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
She said dozens of incidents had been reported to police, and that similar incidents had occurred in neighbouring Germany, which has Europe’s largest Turkish community.
On Thursday, at least 500 demonstrators – Turkish media gave varying estimates on their numbers – were at the gates of Incirlik burning USA flags and demanding an end to the US presence.
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But a Turkish official said 3,500 of those detained have now been released after questioning.
