Re: No end in sight to Erdogan’s hubris
With regard to the article which was published on the Wednesday Column in Daily Trust on 27 July 2016 with the title “No end in sight to Erdogan’s hubris” by Mohammed Haruna, I would like to bring the followings to the readers of Daily Trust regarding the unsuccessful coup in Turkey:
There was an unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey in the eve of the 15 July 2016. Members of the Gülen Group was behind the coup attempt.
However, Gülen Group continues to use its influence over certain media outlets for a defamation campaign in order to distort the efforts by the democratically elected Government and the Turkish judiciary to bring justice for the victims of their crimes. In line with this Turkey has been targeted by unequivocal defamation campaign by the Gulen Movement regarding the coup in Turkey.
Unfortunately, Mr. Mohammed Haruna, misleads the Nigerian readers by using the rhetoric of the Gulen Movement by saying that it is a “pre-managed coup attempt by the Turkish Government”. On the other hand reality is different. The testimonies of some of the detained Military officers have already revealed clear connection between the coup attempt and the Gulen Movement.
For example, testimony of the aide of the Turkish General Chief of Staff clearly shows the linkage between Gulen Movement and the coup attempt. He explained in detail how the coup attempt was orchestrated.
According to his testimony, he confessed being a member of the Gülen Movement since young ages. He entered the military school in 1989. On the eve of the entrance exams, certain individuals linked with this group gave him the answers of the test; He started executing the orders of Gülenists after becoming the aid to the top military commander, such as wiretapping both the present and former Chiefs of General Staff on a regular basis; and He revealed the names of other Gülen-linked officers, including the Chief of the Cabinet who actively took part in the coup attempt.
Türkkan claimed that he regretted participating in the coup when he heard on TV that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was being bombed and civilians were being killed by junta troops.
Presence of Gülen-linked civilians at the Aknclar Air base in Ankara during the plot attempt. During operations countering the plot, some civilians known to have links with the Gülen movement were apprehended at the Aknclar military air base in Ankara. One of them is well-known to be the one of the “imam”s of the group.
This base was the center of coup plotters.The war planes that bombed various state buildings throughout the night of 15/16 July took off from this base. Military commanders who refused to participate in the plot, including the Chief of General Staff, were forcefully taken to the very same location. Former police officials who were dismissed due to their links with Gülen participated in the plot.
There are concrete findings that on the night of 15 July, some police officials who were previously dismissed from the Turkish national police because of their affiliation with the Gülen group, actively participated in the coup attempt together with the military plotters in military uniforms.
During the course of the coup attempt, there was an intense communication between the military plotters and those police officers.
Furthermore, several ex-police officers were seen on locations in proximity to critical locations such as the TRT (Turkish radio and TV institution) and the Police Intelligence Headquarters in Ankara during the coup attempt. One of them was captured. His telephone records revealed several WhatsApp correspondences between the Gülen group members, including orders to support the coup attempt.
There were similar cases in Istanbul. A former police officer wellknown by his affiliation with Gülen group was seen in front of Istanbul headquarters of the Turkish National Police. He got in an armoured military vehicle and then the vehicle assaulted the building. There are a number of video footages of this scene circulated in the social media.
It is crystal clear that the Gülen Group (FETO) was behind the coup attempt in Turkey. It was led by a network of military officers of varying ranks who are affiliated with the Group. It was also supported by non-military individuals and groups known to be affiliated to Gülen.
Recent testimonies of those others who played key roles in the plot all point to this direction. There are other crucial findings as well.
The ongoing investigations and ensuing legal process against the plotters will surely bring more evidence to surface on the true nature of this sinister group.
Hakan Çakl is the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria