Soldiers sent to arrest the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a failed coup attempt last week, said they had to "to capture an important terrorist leader."
The soldiers involved in the arrest of the President was informed about the coup, they were airlifted to the hotel in the resort town, where the rest of Erdogan and his family during the seizure on Friday. Meanwhile, a military aide to Erdogan, Colonel Erkan Kivrak, was taken into custody in southern Turkey for alleged links with the conspirators, according to Anadolu.
Two other officials accused of involvement of the leadership of the coup was taken into custody when they appeared separately in court Tuesday evening, said a military official. Lieutenant General Metin Iidil, commander of training and doctrine of the land forces and head of the former legal adviser of the General staff, Colonel Muharrem Kose. The exact charges against the two officers was not specified.
On Tuesday, Turkey formally asked for the extradition of cleric Fethullah Gulen from the United States, said the Prime Minister, as the government extends the cleaning staff after a failed attempt of a military coup last weekend.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Gulen, a longtime opponent of the coup attempt, which began Friday evening, killing at least 232 people dead and led to mass arrests and dismissals. Muslim cleric living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
sections: Politics, World News, Accidents, Accidents |