Turkish prosecutor claims CIA, FBI trained coup plotters
RT,
29
July, 2016
Turkish
prosecutor has claimed that the CIA and FBI provided training for the
followers of powerful US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom
Ankara blames for the coup attempt earlier this month.
The
indictment, prepared by the Edirne Public Prosecutor’s office and
accepted by the local Second Heavy Penal Court, seeks the harshest
possible punishment for 43 suspects that have allegedly been linked
to the failed coup attempt on July 15, including the coup’s
supposed mastermind, Fethullah Gulen, the arch-nemesis of Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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).
“The
CIA and FBI provided training in several subjects to the cadre raised
in the culture centers belonging to the Gulen movement. The
operations carried out by prosecutors and security officials during
the Dec. 17 process can be taken as a good example of this,” the
document says, referring to a high profile corruption probe that
targeted senior government officials between December 17 and December
25 of 2013, as reported by the Turkish Hurriyet daily.
The
investigation affected many officials linked to the Turkish Cabinet,
which was headed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan at that time. Erdogan, who
is now Turkey’s president, called it
“a judicial coup” attempt, while accusing Gulen and his movement of orchestrating it with the help of some “foreign forces.”
“a judicial coup” attempt, while accusing Gulen and his movement of orchestrating it with the help of some “foreign forces.”
The
indictment states that Gulen loyalists received US training and
infiltrated judicial and security institutions.
“This
[failed coup] attempt aimed to weaken the state with all its
institutions by getting rid of the government completely. Those in
the Gulen movement who work in the judicial and security institutions
and who received the aforementioned training, took on this task and
moved into action,” the
document says, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
It
adds that some other foreign secret services were also involved in
training the coup plotters, according to the Turkish Yeni Safak
newspaper.
Relations
between Washington and Ankara soured following the foiled coup
attempt on July 15. Some Turkish media and even government officials,
including the labor minister, have claimed that the US was somehow
involved, despite an outright denial from the US.
Immediately
after the failed coup attempt, the Turkish government criticized the
US for providing safe haven for Gulen, saying that a country that
harbors “the
coup planner”
is “no
friend” to
Turkey. Ankara has also repeatedly demanded that the US extradite
Gulen to Turkey, while Washington has maintained that Turkey must
first file a formal extradition request and provide solid proof of
his involvement in the coup.
On
July 25, Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that
Turkey-US ties could suffer unless Washington extradites Gulen.
RT
RT visits Erdogan’s self-exiled arch-nemesis Fethullah #Gulen at his US estate http://on.rt.com/7l3z
On
Friday, Erdogan once again slammed the US for harboring Gulen, who
lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, and demanded his
extradition. He also lashed out at the head of US Central Command,
General Joseph Votel, who has criticized the detention of thousands
of Turkish military personnel in the aftermath of the coup attempt
and said that some of the military figures that the US had been
working with are now in jail.
“It
is not up to you to make that decision. Who are you? Know your
place...” Erdogan
said, as quoted by AP.
“Instead
of thanking this nation that quashed the coup in the name of
democracy, on the contrary you are taking sides with the
coup-plotters,” he
added, stressing that “the
coup plotter is in your country anyway” and “you
[the US] can never convince my people otherwise.”
On
Friday, general Votel rejected Turkey’s claims.
“Any
reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup
attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate,” Votel
said, according to the statement from US Central Command.
Votel
added that “Turkey
has been an extraordinary and vital partner in the region for many
years.
An RT reporter has met with “Turkey’s most wanted man,” Fethullah Gulen, a powerful preacher who has been living in self-exile in the US state of Pennsylvania. Ankara blames the scholar for the recent coup attempt in Turkey and wants him extradited.
Reporter Caleb Maupin and an RT America crew were invited to visit Gulen at his estate in rural Pennsylvania. Although the renowned Turkish cleric did not wish to speak to the press, he made it clear that he hasn’t left his highly secured American home, despite Ankara’s suggestions he might be on the run.
Immediately following the failed coup attempt on the night of July 15, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Gulen and his supporters for attempting to seize power in Turkey.
Erdogan has demanded the cleric’s arrest and extradition from the US, but Washington has repeatedly responded by saying it needs clear evidence of a link between Gulen and the attempted coup before it will consider extraditing him.
Turkish officials have previously suggested that the moderate Islamic preacher might have already left North America and could be on the run, mentioning Australia, Mexico and South Africa as possible refuges.
“We know that he could have left for a number of other countries,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told CNN Turk earlier this week, and Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozda has suggested to Haberturk TV that Gulen could have fled the US.
RTvisits Erdogan’s self-exiled arch-nemesis Fethullah #Gulen at hisUS estate
An RT reporter has met with “Turkey’s most wanted man,” Fethullah Gulen, a powerful preacher who has been living in self-exile in the US state of Pennsylvania. Ankara blames the scholar for the recent coup attempt in Turkey and wants him extradited.
Caleb T. Maupin
Reporter Caleb Maupin and an RT America crew were invited to visit Gulen at his estate in rural Pennsylvania. Although the renowned Turkish cleric did not wish to speak to the press, he made it clear that he hasn’t left his highly secured American home, despite Ankara’s suggestions he might be on the run.
Immediately following the failed coup attempt on the night of July 15, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed Gulen and his supporters for attempting to seize power in Turkey.
Erdogan has demanded the cleric’s arrest and extradition from the US, but Washington has repeatedly responded by saying it needs clear evidence of a link between Gulen and the attempted coup before it will consider extraditing him.
Turkish officials have previously suggested that the moderate Islamic preacher might have already left North America and could be on the run, mentioning Australia, Mexico and South Africa as possible refuges.
“We know that he could have left for a number of other countries,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told CNN Turk earlier this week, and Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozda has suggested to Haberturk TV that Gulen could have fled the US.
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