Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak said both the Uludere massacre and downing of the Russian jet in November of a year ago will be reconsidered because of the latest coup attempt and the Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ) infiltration of the Air Force.
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Iran’s Fars news agency reported previously that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a warning from Russian Federation about an imminent military coup just hours before it was initiated.
“There is no institution which this structure has not infiltrated”, Erdogan’s son-in-law, Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, said in a televised interview, referring to Gulen’s network of followers.
On July 22, US President Barack Obama said that Ankara needed to present evidence that Gulen was involved in the recent coup attempt in Turkey before the United States could begin the extradition process.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoga on Monday ordered the detention of 42 journalists, a post-coup crackdown which has affected more than 60,000 people in the European country.
Some 13,000 people have been detained and over 9,000 of them remanded in custody ahead of trial over the coup, which the Turkish authorities blame on reclusive Pennsylvania-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen.
The Turkish parliament set up on Tuesday a commission to investigate the coup attempt, with the backing of all political parties.
Gulen has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the coup attempt.
The Kurdish political group, the People’s Democratic Party, has alleged that the government is using the attempted coup as an opportunity to weaken all opposition groups under a three-month state of emergency that grants Erdogan the power to issue decrees without parliamentary approval.
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, says the coup may have been orchestrated by Erdogan himself. “Of course, since the leader of this terrorist organisation is residing in the United States there are question marks in the minds of the people whether there is any USA involvement or backing”, he said in an interview with the Guardian, noting Washington was not involved. Turkey has so far provided limited public evidence of the role of Mr Gulen and his Hizmet organisation, but Mr Yildirim said it would make its case to Washington in a formal extradition request.
The failed coup plot was organized by the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) led by cleric Fethullah Gülen who’s on self-exile in America.
Defying worldwide alarm, Turkey on Tuesday widened its crackdown after a failed coup, detaining top generals serving in Afghanistan as well as prominent journalists. “The issue of removing them from office on a permanent basis will be resolved within law”, the vice-premier said.
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“Those who are innocent should not be thrown into the fire with those who are guilty”, said Kilicdaroglu, the former head of Turkey’s social security service.
