July 2016 Military Coup in Turkey

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Turkish Justice Minister said on Thursday he has received exclusive information regarding the departure of Fetullah Gulen from his residency in the United States.

Turkey’s Justice Minister: Opposition Leader Gulen Leaves US
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950507000634

According to the some sources the Turkish opposition leader is believed to have fled to a third country and among his possible destinations are Australia, Mexico, Canada, South Africa or Egypt, Al Masdar reported.

Gulen has been accused by the Turkish regime of orchestrating the July 15th military coup to overthrow the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Prior to the July 15th coup, the Gulen Movement was labeled a terrorist organization by the Turkish government, resulting in its ban all around the country.

 

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday slammed foreign officials, including high-ranking US general, who criticized Ankara instead of praising its successful suppression of the coup, local media reported.

Erdogan Slams US General Criticizing Ankara Instead of Praising Coup Suppression
http://sputniknews.com/us/20160729/1043756437/us-turkey-erdogan.html

On Thursday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Joseph Votel said the United States had relationships with a number of Turkish leaders, including with the military ones, adding that several of them had been placed in jails following the coup attempt.

"The world is watching Turkish people on democracy watch and says they're concerned about the future," Erdogan said criticizing Votel's remarks, as quoted by the Daily Sabah newspaper.

The Turkish leader added that the US general should praise the Turkish state and nation for protection of democracy and not to side with the coup perpetrators.

Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik said that attitude of some countries from the European Union to the recent coup attempt in Turkey "leaves much to be desired."

Some EU Members' Stance Over Coup Attempt Disappoints Ankara
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160729/1043757650/turkey-agriculture-minister-eu.html

Ankara is disappointed over ambiguous attitude of some EU member states to the attempted coup in Turkey, Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik told Sputnik on Friday.

On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned Ankara's reaction as disproportionate, as Turkish authorities shut down numerous institutions and detained over 13,000 people in connection with the coup attempt.

"Though the situation is clear, our allies, the European Union, we have been trying to join for many years are acting not in the way we expected. We would like their position to be more clear. Frankly speaking, attitude of some countries to the recent developments in Turkey leaves much to be desired," Celik said.

He accused European media of biased coverage of the situation in Turkey.

All units that housed the coup plotters' military equipment would also be closed down, Binali Yildirim said.

Turkey’s Akinci Air Base Used by Coup Plotters Will Be Shut Down
http://sputniknews.com/military/20160729/1043752500/turkey-akinci-air-base--coup-shut-down.html

The Akinci Air Base near the Turkish capital of Ankara that served as the de-facto headquarters for attempted coup plotters will be shut down, Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday.

"I declare to all who now stands on the square in Kazan [town northwest of Ankara]. This Akinci base, which nested the traitors, will be closed and we will turn it into a place for our martyrs who died for democracy during the coup attempt," Yildirim said.

 

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The Azeri court of appeal on Friday ordered the shutdown of an independent television station over its plan to air an interview with Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric accused by the government in Ankara of being behind the recent abortive coup in Turkey.

Azerbaijan closes TV station for plan to air Gulen interview
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2016/07/29/477511/Azerbaijan-ANS-TV-Station-Turkey-Gulen-Erdogan

The court revoked the license of the ANS based on a lawsuit filed by the National Television and Radio Council (NTRC). Azerbaijan's law allows authorities to close media deemed to be broadcasting extremist propaganda or discriminating on ethnic grounds, among other offences.

Representatives of the ANS decried the court ruling, saying it was an undemocratic move. They now plan to file a formal appeal.

The ANS is owned by three Azeri businessmen and is widely seen as an independent news outlet.

Analysts say the ANS was the only independent TV channel in Azerbaijan and its closure could be politically motivated.

Azerbaijan and Turkey have close politico-cultural ties.

The Turkish government has been a firm supporter of Baku in its conflict with pro-Armenia fighters in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims his former ally Gulen, who has a big following in all private and public sectors in Turkey, masterminded the deadly July 15 coup attempt.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States over the past 17 years, denies the accusation. He argues that the coup scenario may have been designed by Erdogan himself as a pretext to justify the stifling of dissent.

Meanwhile, the government in Baku says Azerbaijan enjoys full freedom of speech and a lively opposition media.

 

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I like the following. Now that Erdogan has joined up with the good-guys. He may through healthy interaction with Putin and team retian sanity. Not only that, all that beaming that is going on him has less effect if he acts against it. If he follows a path that serves us all. Follows creativity, instead of Entropy that used to dominate him.

I hope he has soul potential. If so, Turkey may become one of the good-guys in the future.


Erdogan continues return to rationality, drops all charges against those accused of insulting him
https://www.sott.net/article/323690-Erdogan-continues-return-to-rationality-drops-all-charges-against-those-accused-of-insulting-him

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the surprise announcement that he will drop all charges against those who have insulted him.

The comments came during a speech given at the presidential palace in the Turkish capital, in which the president called this decision a "one-off gesture."

"For one time only, I will be forgiving and withdrawing all cases against the many disrespects and insults that have been leveled against me," he said.

"I feel that if we do not make use of this opportunity correctly, then it will give the people the right to hold us by the throat. So I feel that all factions of society, politicians first and foremost, will behave accordingly with this new reality, this new sensitive situation before us."

The Turkish president had previously filed criminal charges against hundreds of journalists and public figures for allegedly insulting the presidency. One such instance involved actor and columnist Orhan Aydin, who used derogatory descriptions of Erdogan in opinion pieces for Solhaber newspaper.

The announcement comes two weeks after the failed coup attempt that left nearly 250 people dead and over 1,000 injured. On Friday, Erdogan also reiterated that however Ankara decides to punish mutineers is an internal issue and not the concern of foreign countries.

NATO allies have warned Ankara against enacting the death penalty against coup plotters. Earlier on Friday, Erdogan went so far as to accuse the head of US Central Command of "siding with coup plotters" and told the four-star general to "know your place."

He also insinuated that Washington may have played a role, at least indirectly, in the coup attempt.

"My people know who is behind this scheme...they know who the superior intelligence behind it is, and with these statements you are revealing yourselves, you are giving yourselves away."

Ankara has blamed the attempt on religious and political figure Fethullah Gulen, currently living in exile in Pennsylvania. The US has so far refused Ankara's extradition requests.

 

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RT visits Erdogan’s self-exiled arch-nemesis Fethullah Gulen at his US estate (Video)
https://www.rt.com/news/353951-gulen-pennsylvania-estate-visit/

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.

Note: Looks like Erdogan has the top U.S. Military brass hopping through hoops? Erdogan has begun purging the Turkish Military of any members with ties to the U.S., which includes NATO members, stating "that NATO's second largest military force needs "fresh blood." General Dunford is rushing to Turkey (July 31) due to Erdogan's actions which are impairing NATO’s mission in Syria. It's going to be interesting - to watch - how this is all going to play out? I don't think, Erdogan is in the mood to play ball with the U.S./NATO any more?

A top American general, Joint Chief of Staff chairman Joseph Dunford, is rushing to Turkey on an unexpected visit, after President Erdogan’s allies directly accused the US of being behind the failed coup attempt in the country and have begun purging members of the Turkish military with ties to the United States.

Top US General Rushes to Turkey Amid Accusations US Plotted Coup
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160729/1043770595/erdogan-purge-turkey-obama-coup.html

Turkish officials announced that General Dunford will visit the country on July 31 after conducting phone negotiations with his Turkish counterpart General Hulusi Akar reports the pro-government Daily Sabah.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic row between the United States and Turkey, in the wake of a failed attempt to overthrow the Erdogan government, worsened on Friday, with Ankara becoming increasingly insistent that the Obama Administration and NATO were at the center of the coup plot.

What began as a complaint against the Obama administration for dragging its feet on the extradition of US-based cleric and former Erdogan ally Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara asserts masterminded the failed overthrow attempt, has devolved into a conspiracy theory by Erdogan and his supporters, alleging that the United States actively aided the bid.

On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made headlines by accusing the head of US Central Command of, "siding with the coup plotters," and demanding that the four-star general should, "know your place."

The Turkish President implied that the United States played a direct role in the failed coup by insinuating, "My people know who is behind this scheme… they know who the superior intelligence behind it is, and with these statements you are revealing yourselves, you are giving yourselves away."

US National Intelligence Director James Clapper acknowledged that the post-coup purge in Turkey impairs NATO’s mission in Syria, as a disproportionate number of Turkish forces working with the United States in the fight against Daesh have been caught up in the arrests and firings.

"Many of our interlocutors have been purged or arrested,” said Clapper. “There’s no question this is going to set back and make more difficult cooperation with the Turks."

Accusations that the United States is protecting Erdogan’s arch-nemesis Fethullah Gulen, and that American forces and intelligence personnel played a direct role in the attempted overthrow, date to a July 16 comment by the Turkish Labor Minister, during a live interview with HaberTurk, in which he stated, "the United States is behind the coup."

That narrative, dismissed by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who warned that the accusations are “harmful for bilateral relations,” was again hinted at in remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, warning that Ankara is ready to go to war with “any” country that sides with Gulen, a comment perceived as a direct reference to the US.

But remarks by high-ranking Turkish officials have now been converted into a call to action for Turkish nationalists, after the pro-Erdogan Islamist newspaper Yeni Safak published a picture of NATO International Security Assistance Force Commander and three-star US Army General John F. Campbell on the front page, under the unambiguous headline, "The man behind the failed coup in Turkey."

Hours after the pro-AKP newspaper published their accusations, a large fire erupted near the Izmir Air Station, a US Air Force base in western Turkey. T24 News reported that officials believed the fire was the result of "anti-American sabotage."

The anti-American sentiment currently displayed by pro-Erdogan Turkish nationalists was fed by a narrative that the United States, their longtime ally, plotted the overthrow of Erdogan’s administration. On Thursday some 5,000 protesters took to the streets in a march toward NATO’s Incirlik Air Base, which holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 90 US tactical nuclear weapons, chanting “death to US” and demanding the immediate eviction of American forces from the country.

The situation deteriorated further on Friday following a filing by a Turkish prosecutor alleging that the FBI and the CIA trained and equipped members of the so-called Gulenist Terror Organization (FETO), leading to an explosion of activity on social media among Turkish speakers calling for the execution of 'American traitors' and for the immediate closure of NATO’s Incirlik Air Base.

Many have predicted that US-Turkey and NATO-Turkey relations cannot withstand a growing domestic unrest against the American military presence in the country. Some ask whether Erdogan has opened a Pandora’s Box by placing Washington’s nuclear weapons and allied forces in the line of fire from a well-supported mob of nationalists.

The Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Joseph Votel denied claims on involvement in the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey.

US Central Command Chief Denies Any Role in Turkey Coup Attempt
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160729/1043766886/us-turkey-coup-centcom.html

The Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Joseph Votel denied having anything to do with the attempted coup in Turkey, according to a statement released by the US military on Friday.

"Any reporting that I had anything to do with the recent unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey is unfortunate and completely inaccurate," Votel said.

He was responding to an interpretation of comments made at a think tank in Washington, DC by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accusing Votel of sympathizing with the coup plotters.

Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander stated that United States is concerned that the failed coup in Turkey could impact US military operations in the region.

US Concerned Turkish Coup Attempt May Impact Military Operations
http://sputniknews.com/world/20160728/1043724505/us-turkey-coup-centcom.html

The United States is concerned that the failed coup in Turkey could impact US military operations in the region, Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Gen. Joseph Votel said at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.

"What I am concerned about is that first and foremost it [coup attempt] will have an impact on the operations that we do along that very important seam," Votel stated. "I’m concerned that it will impact the level of cooperation and collaboration that we have with Turkey which has been excellent."

According to a Turkish parliamentary official, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his major overhaul of the country’s military following the failed coup attempt, is seeking to put Turkey’s armed forces and national intelligence agency (MIT) under direct presidential control.

Turkish Official: Erdogan Wants Military Under His Direct Control
http://sputniknews.com/military/20160730/1043774612/erdogan-military-intelligence-presidential-control.html

After a five-hour meeting of Turkey's Supreme Military Council, chaired by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and including top brass, Erdogan announced his decision to keep armed forces chief Hulusi Akar, and the army, navy and air force commanders at their posts. Only minor changes to the top military ranks were made.

But some 40 percent of the country's generals and admirals, along with nearly 1,700 military personnel, were detained, as Erdogan stated that NATO's second largest military force needs "fresh blood."

Erdogan's aim to put the country's military and intelligence forces, who currently report to the prime minister, under presidential control, will require a constitutional amendment according to Turkish media. To do that, Erdogan must get the support of opposition parties in the parliament, something that many say he can achieve.

"The president said that… he would discuss with opposition parties bringing the General Staff and the MIT (intelligence agency) under the control of the presidency," the parliamentary official said.

According to Jason Ditz of AntiWar.com, the Turkish military has historically enjoyed a great degree of autonomy, perceiving itself as a "protector" of democracy in Turkey. This has led to numerous successful coups in recent Turkish history, after the military started to feel its autonomy threatened by the administration. Erdogan has pushed to limit this autonomy, possibly indicating the reasoning behind the recent coup attempt.

If Erdogan succeeds in bringing those forces under his control, it will mark an historic shift in the balance of power in the country, a "dramatic change for the structure of Turkey," according to Ditz.

 

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Turkey intercepted Gulen followers' encrypted messages: Official
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/236432/World/Region/Turkey-intercepted-Gulen-followers-encrypted-messa.aspx

Turkey intercepted encrypted messages sent by followers of US-based Fethullah Gulen well before the July 15 coup attempt, giving Ankara names of tens of thousands within the preacher's network, a senior official said on Saturday.

Turkey says Gulen masterminded the failed coup from his compound in Pennsylvania, using followers in Turkey who for years had built up a top-level presence within state institutions. The reclusive preacher denies the charges.

The Turkish official -- speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the informatiom -- said Turkey's National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) began decrypting messages sent on the app ByLock in May last year.

Almost 40,000 names of Gulen followers, including 600 ranking military personnel, were identified by MIT through the intercepted messages.

The official added that "a large number of people identified via ByLock were directly involved in the coup attempt".

The official said that since December 2013, Gulen followers used encrypted messaging apps to communicate securely, and had started using ByLock in 2014.

A corruption scandal erupted in December 2013 that Erdogan blamed on Gulen and which represented one of the most serious challenges to his rule.

"The ByLock data made it possible for us to map their network -- at least a large part of it. They (later) switched to another app when they realised that ByLock was compromised," said the official.

Turkish officials have said that by the time of the coup the plotters were communicating via the better-known messaging service WhatsApp.

Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said this week that Ankara had already prepared lists of suspected Gulenists in major institutions before the coup and had been planning a major purge this summer.

Analysts had said the speed of the crackdown after the coup -- which has seen some 18,000 people detained -- suggests the authorities were preparing a swoop and knew who to target.

But the government has also admitted there were intelligence weaknesses leading up to the coup. Reports have suggested that the MIT got wind of the plot hours before it happened but did not inform politicians.

There has been speculation that the powerful head of MIT Hakan Fidan will have to resign, but so far he has kept his job.

Top US General Rushes to Turkey Amid Accusations US Plotted Coup
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160729/1043770595/erdogan-purge-turkey-obama-coup.html

Turkish officials announced that General Dunford will visit the country on July 31 after conducting phone negotiations with his Turkish counterpart General Hulusi Akar reports the pro-government Daily Sabah.

Turkish Police Block Access to NATO's Incirlik Air Base - Home of US Nukes (Video)
http://sputniknews.com/news/20160731/1043797161/incirlik-turkey-erdogan-nato-nukes.html

All inputs and outputs to the Incirlik Air Base located in Adana have been closed as Turkish Minister of European Affairs cautions that it is just a "safety inspection" while local newspapers speculate that a second coup attempt may be underway.

Some 7,000 armed police with heavy vehicles have surrounded and blocked the Incirlik air base in Adana used by NATO forces, already restricted in the aftermath of a failed coup. Unconfirmed reports say troops were sent to deal with a new coup attempt.

According to the Turkish Minister for European Affairs, Omar Celik, this is just a routine "safety inspection." Hurriyet, by contrast, has raised concern that the closing may be tied to an attempt by the Erdogan regime to prevent a second coup attempt.

Incirlik Air Base, located in the province of Adana, is a critical NATO base in Turkey. The US maintains 50 to 90 tactical nuclear weapons at the base.

Local media has focused on the base after the failed coup in Turkey occurred the night of July 15. Although the main scenes of the events were Istanbul and Ankara, Incirlik was shut down for a time by local authorities shortly after the putsch, and several Turkish soldiers from the base were deemed by Turkish officials to be involved in the overthrow attempt.

The lockdown at Incirlik follows a massive wave of protests on Thursday when pro-Erdogan nationalists took to the streets yelling "death to the US" and called for the immediate closure of the Incirlik base. Security personnel dispersed the protesters before they were able to make it to the base.

Erdogan announced that all Turkish military schools will be closed and a national defense university will be established on their basis.

Erdogan Plans to Close All Military Schools, Create National Defense University
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160730/1043795094/erdogan-close-military-schools.html

All Turkish military schools will be closed and a national defense university will be established on their basis, country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Saturday.

"Military schools will be closed, this will be published in the official newspaper Resmi Gazete within several days. They will be united under the University of National Defense," Erdogan told in an interview with the A Haber broadcaster.

 

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The Turkish government dismissed nearly 1,400 military personnel for suspected links to an opposition leader it blames for an attempted coup, state media said Sunday, hours after President Tayyip Erdogan announced sweeping changes to the armed forces.

Turkey Expels Nearly 1,400 Personnel from Armed Forces
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950510000916

The expulsions are the latest attempt by Erdogan to bring Turkey's military, long seen as the guardians of the secular republic, firmly under government control, Anadolu reported.

Erdogan said he planned to shut down existing military academies and put the armed forces under the command of the Defense Ministry.

According to local reports, 1,389 military personnel had been dismissed for suspected links to the US-based Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Turkey of orchestrating the July 15-16 failed putsch.

Ankara has long supported radical groups fighting against Bashar al-Assad, but following a failed attempt to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkey's upper echelons of power have had a change of heart, siding with Russia when it comes to the Syrian conflict, Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) reported.

'Terrorists Stand No Chance Against Assad' as Turkey Sides With Russia on Syria
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160731/1043799895/syrian-conflict-turkey.html

The online newspaper pointed to the fact that Turkish authorities closed the country's only official border crossing with the rebel-held province of Idlib, Bab al-Hawa, after the botched coup as evidence of a foreign policy U-turn.

The media outlet further noted that this decision could be interpreted as Ankara having closed its border with the neighboring war-torn country, something that the international community has long called for.

Radical groups, including Daesh, al-Nusra Front and the like have used Turkey's porous border with Syria to smuggle fighters, weapons and supplies in and out of the battlefield. But it appears to have become increasingly hard to do so.

[...] Turkey's new strategy in Syria has "greatly contributed" to Moscow and Damascus' efforts to push the militants from Aleppo, one of the most populous city in the country, DWN asserted.

In the last 24 hours, Daesh and al-Nusra Front fighters shelled several areas in Aleppo, including the Kostello trade center, as well as the neighborhoods of al-Zahraa, al-Khalidiyah, Leramon and Sheikh Maqsood, the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides in the Syrian Arab Republic reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 169 civilians and 69 rebel fighters who agreed to lay down their weapons have left Aleppo through four safe corridors opened by the Syrian Arab Army as part of a major humanitarian operation launched by Moscow and Damascus.

Turkey's general staff was deprived of controlling the Army, Air Force and Navy. The branches were transferred to the country's defense ministry by a presidential decree.

Turkish Army, Navy, Air Force Transferred to Defense Ministry's Command
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160731/1043806364/turkey-army-general-staff.html

The Turkish Army, Air Force and Navy are no longer under command of the General Staff since they have been transferred under the Defense Ministry after a coup attempt, according to a Turkish government decree published on Sunday.

According to the decree published in the national official journal T.C. Resmi Gazete, the country's president and the prime minister were given an authority to receive information from the military if necessary and to give orders to military authorities. The orders will be obligatory without further approval.

 

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A newly-released email and lobbying documents filed with Congress reveals new ties between Clintonworld and members of a network operated by leader of Islamic sect Fethullah Gulen

In addition to muddying that complex geopolitical dynamic, a 2009 email recently released by Judicial Watch provides yet another example of access being provided to a Clinton campaign and Clinton Foundation donor.

Hillary Clinton connected with Fethullah Gulen
http://katehon.com/news/hillary-clinton-connected-fethullah-gulen

In the April 1, 2009 message, a Gulen follower named Gokhan Ozkok asked Clinton deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin for help in connecting one of his allies to President Obama.

Ozkok is founding board member of the Turkish Cultural Center and part of a network of businesses and non-profits affiliated with the Gulen movement, also known as Hizmet.

Ozkok served as national finance co-chair of the pro-Clinton Ready PAC. He gave $10,000 to the committee in 2014 and $2,700 to Clinton’s campaign last year. He is also listed on the Turkish Cultural Center’s website as a member of the Clinton Global Initiative, one of the non-profit arms of the Clinton Foundation. He’s given between $25,000 and $50,000 to the Clinton charity.

Another link between Gulenists and the Clinton orbit was revealed in a lobbying registration disclosure filed last month with the Senate. It shows that a Gulen-aligned group called the Alliance for Shared Values hired the Clinton-connected Podesta Group to lobby Congress on its behalf. The group seeks to lobby for the “promotion of peace, tolerance and interfaith dialogue.”

The group’s executive director is Alp Aslandogan, a former professor at universities in Texas. He has also donated to Clinton’s political endeavors, campaign finance records show.

The Podesta Group is a natural choice for those seeking influence with Clinton. The firm was co-founded by John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, and his brother Tony, a major Clinton campaign bundler.

Through various non-profit groups, both Gulenists promote the cleric’s teachings, which are relatively moderate and pro-Western. They are also involved in Gulen movement’s money-making endeavor: a vast network of taxpayer-funded charter schools.

Those schools, which number more than 150, have been a source of controversy for the Gulen movement.

Federal investigators have reportedly investigated some of the schools for using work visas to bring Turkish citizens to the U.S. to teach. In some cases, taxpayer funds were used to pay immigration and legal fees for family members of teachers who worked at the facilities. Funds allocated to the schools have also been funneled to contractors controlled by Turkish nationals with connections to the Gulen movement.

The connections between the Gulen movement and Clinton are not the first to be revealed. They also add to questions about what it is the Gulenists want from Clinton and whether the Democrat has rewarded their financial support with favors.

Last year The Daily Caller reported that numerous Gulen followers have donated to Clinton’s various political campaigns and to her family charity. One Gulen movement leader, Recep Ozkan, donated between $500,000 and $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.

As senator from New York, Clinton gave a keynote address at the Turkish Cultural Center’s annual banquet.

The email to Abedin, which is the first piece of communication showing that a Gulen follower had direct access to Clinton’s staff, sought a favor.

“Please tell Madam Secretary that it would be great if President Obama can include a 15 minutes [sic] meeting with Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organization of of [sic] the Islamic Conference (OIC), in his trip to Turkey,” wrote Ozkok.

Some terror watchdog groups flagged the meetings, pointing to Ihsanoglu’s past praise of the terrorist group Hamas and for Sudanese president and U.S. foe Omar al-Bashir. But Ihsanoglu does not appear to be a radical firebrand like so many Islamists in the Middle East.

As for the Podesta Group, the lobbying firm has connections to several controversial companies seeking to peddle influence at Clinton’s State Department.

 

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The Erdogan regime continues to play with fire renewing accusations that the United States spearheaded a complex conspiracy to overthrow the Turkish government.

Turkey Says FBI and CIA Behind Failed Coup, Gulen 'Only a Pawn'
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160731/1043813275/erdogan-turkey-purge-gulen-coup.html

A Turkish prosecutor claims that the CIA and FBI provided training to followers of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara initially called the “mastermind” of the failed attempt to overthrow the Erdogan regime on July 15 that left hundreds dead and thousands more wounded.

An indictment, prepared by the Edirne Public Prosecutor’s office and submitted to the local Second Heavy Penal Court, seeks the harshest possible punishment for 43 suspected coup plotters. In the indictment, the prosecutors allege that members of "the Fethullah Terrorist Organization" (FETO) were trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and 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," read the indictment. "The operations carried out by prosecutors and security officials during the Dec. 17 process can be taken as a good example of this.” The “Dec. 17 process” refers to a high profile corruption probe that targeted senior government officials in 2013.

"The [failed coup] attempt aimed to weaken the state with all its institutions by getting rid of the government completely," stated the document. "Those in the Gulen movement who work in the judicial and security institutions and who received the aforementioned training, took on the task and moved into action."

On Saturday, the Turkish President continued the theme of subtle accusations calling US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen "a pawn" backed by a "mastermind" which has also been interpreted as suggesting that the US agencies supported the failed putsch.

US military and intelligence officials have been the target of scorn and accusation from Turkish leaders in the wake of the failed coup starting with the country’s Labor Minister who said on July 16 in an interview with HaberTurk that "the United States is behind the coup."

These accusations were forcefully denounced by the State Department which called the claims "utterly false and harmful to our bilateral relations." However, on July 17, Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the country was ready to go to war with “any” country that backed Fethullah Gulen, viewed as a reference to America’s refusal to extradite the suspected coup leader.

These accusations have grown in recent weeks with Erdogan alleging that CENTCOM commander General Joseph Votel was siding with the coup plotters and with the country’s leading pro-Erdogan Islamist newspaper Yeni Safak printing a picture of American three-star General and commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) John F. Campbell under the headline "The Man Behind the Failed Coup in Turkey."

The result of the shocking allegations has been an emboldening of anti-American fervor in the country with over 5,000 protesters marching towards the Incirlik Air Base on Thursday chanting "death to the US" and demanding that the United States leave. That incident came on the heels of a massive fire near NATO’s Izmir base with officials suggesting the cause was “anti-American sabotage” as reported by Turkey’s T24 News.

On Saturday, 7000 armed police officers supported by heavy vehicles blocked all access to NATO’s Incirlik Air Base. Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported that Adana Police received a tip of a brewing second coup attempt, but the country’s European Affairs Minister Omer Celik downplayed the sudden show of force calling it a "general security check" and asserting that "nothing is wrong."

During the temporary blockade of the Incirlik Air Base, a group of several hundred anti-American protesters assembled near the scene chanting for the base to be shut down as confirmed by video accounts on the scene although some Western outlets have provided conflicting reports that the protesters preceded the blockade and that Turkish police were there to disperse the crowd.

Turkey's security forces have arrested eight military personnel suspected of being involved in an attack on a hotel in Turkey's Marmaris.

Turkey Arrests 8 Perpetrators of Hotel Attack Against Erdogan - Reports
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160801/1043815764/turkey-arrest-erdogan-attackers.html

Turkey's security forces have arrested eight military personnel suspected of being involved in an airstrike on a hotel in Turkey's southwestern Marmaris where Turkish President Recep Tayyip stayed during mid-July's attempted coup, local media said Monday.

The arrests were carried out in Marmaris after local residents discovered a suspicious group of people in a corn field, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Earlier, seven members of the military were arrested in southwestern Turkey's Mugla province.

A mastermind of an airstrike against a hotel in Turkey's southwestern Marmaris, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stayed in, has been hospitalized, Anadolu agency reported Saturday.

Mastermind of Airstrike on Turkish Hotel Where Erdogan Stayed Hospitalized
http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160716/1043109063/airstrike-hotel-erdogan.html

According to the state-run agency, Deniz Yuzbasi Haldun Gulmez, who has organized an operation in the hotel, has been sent to a hospital in country's western province of Izmir.

 

[angelburst29]

The decree of the Turkish Defense Ministry on the appointment of 167 new generals was published in the official government's newspaper on Monday.

Turkish Defense Ministry Appoints 167 New Generals After Thwarted Coup Attempt
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160801/1043842859/turkey-new-generals-coup.html

New appointments follow the failed coup attempt in Turkey, after which 163 generals and admirals were detained, what constitutes 40 percent of the total number. Eighty-seven out of 198 generals in the Army were dismissed, 30 of 72 in the Air Force, seven out of 32 in the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command, and in the Navy 32 of 55 admirals.

There are 94 new appointments in the Army Command, the Air Force has 44 new appointments and in the Navy there are 22 admirals' appointments.

 

[Alana]

Turkish Police Block Access to NATO's Incirlik Air Base - Home of US Nukes (Video)
http://sputniknews.com/news/20160731/1043797161/incirlik-turkey-erdogan-nato-nukes.html


Some 7,000 armed police with heavy vehicles have surrounded and blocked the Incirlik air base in Adana used by NATO forces, already restricted in the aftermath of a failed coup. Unconfirmed reports say troops were sent to deal with a new coup attempt.
[...]

The lockdown at Incirlik follows a massive wave of protests on Thursday when pro-Erdogan nationalists took to the streets yelling "death to the US" and called for the immediate closure of the Incirlik base. Security personnel dispersed the protesters before they were able to make it to the base.

If only all the European countries did the same, and for good, to the NATO bases on their grounds!

 

[angelburst29]

With Turkey still reeling from last month’s failed coup attempt, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff met with American troops and Turkish officials at Incirlik Air Base.

Top US General Tries to Smooth Turkey Tensions After Failed Coup
http://sputniknews.com/military/20160802/1043846244/dunford-turkey-incirlik.html

In the wake of the coup attempt that left nearly 250 people dead and over 1,000 injured, relations between Washington and Ankara have been strained. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the US to extradite political and religious figure Fethullah Gulen, blamed for the attempt, and has even accused Washington of being complicit in the attempt.

Turkey is a key American ally and the US Air Force relies on Incirlik Air Base to conduct anti-Daesh operations. In an effort to cement ties, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top US military officer, traveled to the base on Monday.

"He will deliver messages condemning in the strongest terms the recent coup attempt and reaffirming the importance of our enduring partnership for regional security as symbolized by coalition operations out of Incirlik in the counter-ISIL fight," said Dunford’s spokesman, Navy Capt. Greg Hicks, ahead of the visit, according to Stars and Stripes.

Dunford also met with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Gen. Hulusi Akar, head of Turkey’s general staff, in Ankara.

"It is important that the United States, our friend and ally, display a clear and decisive stance against this terrorist coup attempt against our nation and democracy," Yildirim said during the meeting.

As tensions between the two countries sour, Incirlik has been the focus of a number of protests.
Last week, over 5,000 people participated in anti-American demonstrations, demanding that the base be closed.

The Pentagon has remained adamant that it has no intention of moving its forces at the base.

"There is no plan to move out of Incirlik whatsoever," US Air Force Secretary Deborah James said last Tuesday.

Roughly 150 protesters marched to the US embassy in Ankara head of Dunford’s arrival, chanting "coup plotter Dunford get out of Turkey." Others carried banners reading "Dunford go home. Send us Fethullah."

Over the weekend, Turkish police sealed off access to Incirlik, claiming it was a routine safety inspection. This led to speculation that a second coup attempt was underway.

The post-coup sort of civilian-military relationship in Turkey is exactly what is needed to consider Ankara's EU aspirations, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

Post-Coup Turkey is Closer to EU Membership – Ex-NATO Commander
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160801/1043825030/turkey-eu-clark.html

The post-coup type of relationship between military and civilian leaders in Turkey is what Brussels wanted to see to consider the country for EU membership, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

"The way it works now [after the July 15 coup attempt] is that Turkey is more like a regular government where the military is loyal to civilian authority. That’s what we wanted and European Union wanted for Turkish consideration of EU membership," Clark said.

On Friday, Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik told Sputnik Ankara is disappointed over the ambiguous attitude of some EU member states to the attempted coup in Turkey, coming a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Erdogan’s harsh post-mutiny crackdown has been disproportionate.

According to the agency, four of the 17 arrested journalists had been already released from custody

Istanbul prosecutors sanction arrests of 17 journalists for ties with Gulen
http://tass.ru/en/world/891642

The Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul sanctioned arrests of 17 journalists suspected of strong connections with opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed by the authorities to be behind the recently thwarted state coup, Anadolu news agency reported.

According to the agency, four of the 17 arrested journalists had been already released from custody.

 

[RedFox]

The post-coup sort of civilian-military relationship in Turkey is exactly what is needed to consider Ankara's EU aspirations, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

Post-Coup Turkey is Closer to EU Membership – Ex-NATO Commander
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160801/1043825030/turkey-eu-clark.html

The post-coup type of relationship between military and civilian leaders in Turkey is what Brussels wanted to see to consider the country for EU membership, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

"The way it works now [after the July 15 coup attempt] is that Turkey is more like a regular government where the military is loyal to civilian authority. That’s what we wanted and European Union wanted for Turkish consideration of EU membership," Clark said.

On Friday, Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik told Sputnik Ankara is disappointed over the ambiguous attitude of some EU member states to the attempted coup in Turkey, coming a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Erdogan’s harsh post-mutiny crackdown has been disproportionate.

Hmm, that ones a bit odd. Are they playing the 'You played with the big boys and passed the test' card, in order to try and keep them away from Russia?

 

[Niall]

The post-coup sort of civilian-military relationship in Turkey is exactly what is needed to consider Ankara's EU aspirations, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

Post-Coup Turkey is Closer to EU Membership – Ex-NATO Commander
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160801/1043825030/turkey-eu-clark.html

The post-coup type of relationship between military and civilian leaders in Turkey is what Brussels wanted to see to consider the country for EU membership, former NATO commander Wesley Clark told Sputnik.

"The way it works now [after the July 15 coup attempt] is that Turkey is more like a regular government where the military is loyal to civilian authority. That’s what we wanted and European Union wanted for Turkish consideration of EU membership," Clark said.

On Friday, Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik told Sputnik Ankara is disappointed over the ambiguous attitude of some EU member states to the attempted coup in Turkey, coming a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Erdogan’s harsh post-mutiny crackdown has been disproportionate.

Hmm, that ones a bit odd. Are they playing the 'You played with the big boys and passed the test' card, in order to try and keep them away from Russia?

They're prevaricating. They think, even at this stage where Turkish prosecutors are directly accusing US govt agencies of involvement in the coup, that they can keep tagging Erdogan along by holding out the promise of EU membership.

Assuming nothing changes, I can't wait till Erdogan makes good on his ultimatum to 'give us membership by October, or we're done waiting!'

And yes, the BS is thicker than usual here because Turkey allying with Russia and the East is a significant hit for the status quo.

 

[angelburst29]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized on Wednesday "to God and the people" for his inability to prevent a recent coup attempt in the country.

Erdogan Apologizes to Turkish Nation for Failure to Prevent Coup Attempt
http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160803/1043901042/coup-erdogan-apology.html

"If it weren't for the measures that we took after December 17 [2013]…the attempted military coup would have been more ambitious. It would have involved not only the terrorists who entered the army, but their supporters in the police, courts and officials. Despite this, I am still disappointed that the true traitors were not identified beforehand. We are responsible for this. May God and my people forgive us," Erdogan said at a meeting of the Religious Council in Ankara.

Any doubts about Gulen's involvement in the coup attempt "have been left behind," but some people still believe the Islamic preacher has nothing to do with the coup, he noted.

Following the scandal, several Turkish ministers resigned and some 70 high-ranking law enforcement officials were dismissed or transferred to other positions.

The Turkish authorities suspected at the time that Gulen and his movement, commonly known as Hizmet, were behind the wiretapping and subsequent corruption scandal. A number of Hizmet members had senior positions during this period in law enforcement and legal institutions.

Then Prime Minister Erdogan blamed the investigation on an international conspiracy and vowed revenge on Gulen and his supporters, whom Ankara deemed terrorists.

Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said Ankara needed to "clean up" its state institutions after the "outrageous" coup attempt.

Council of Europe Sees Need to 'Clean Up' Turkey's State Institutions After Coup
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160803/1043896035/jagland-turkey-coup.html

Turkey needs to “clean up” its institutions in line with the rule of law following an "outrageous" coup attempt, Council of Europe (CoE) Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said in Ankara on Wednesday.

“I would like to say there has been too little understanding from Europe on what challenges this has caused to the democratic and state institutions of Turkey. We have been informed about it for a very long time, so therefore of course we see a need for cleaning up all this. But it is also very important that this is being done in conformity with the rule of law," Jagland said in an address televised by the TRT broadcaster.

“The coup attempt was outrageous in all meanings of the word," Jagland stressed, saying it must be "condemned in the strongest way."

Voices continue to emerge claiming that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia could have supported the failed coup attempt in Turkey, citing Riyadh and Abu Dhabi's discontent with Ankara resuming ties with Tehran and Moscow.

Shadows of UAE, Riyadh Emerge Behind Failed Coup in Turkey
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160802/1043874329/uae-saudi-arabia-coup-turkey.html

There is still a lot of controversy surrounding the July 15 failed coup attempt in Turkey: voices continue to emerge claiming that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia could have been behind the anti-government uprising.

Following the attempted coup Iran's Fars News Agency reported, citing Saudi whistle-blower Mujtahid, that the UAE leaders had allegedly "played a role" in the uprising while the House of Saud had been informed of the coup in Turkey before it erupted.

"There are reasons which show that given his intimate relations with Mohammad bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan (the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces), Mohammad bin Salman [Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia] was aware of this coup," Mujtahid tweeted on July 17, as quoted by the media outlet.

Mujtahid, who is believed either to be a member of the House of Saud or to have a well-informed source in the royal family, also narrated that Turkish intelligence services had received information about the dubious collaboration between Mohammad bin Salman and Mohammad bin Zayed, but the Saudis convinced Turkey's Justice and Development Party (AKP) not to pay attention to this episode.

Meanwhile, on July 27 Al-Masdar News Agency broke that Qatari Defense Minister Khalid al-Attiyah, had obtained a confidential document that could prove that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi supported the failed coup in Turkey.

The media outlet quoted al-Attiyah who reportedly wrote on his official Twitter account:
"This document reveals that a Saudi Emir and a top Emirati military official have been aware, in advance, of an imminent plot to topple the Turkish President through their participation in the Anatolian Eagle maneuvers held last May. However, they refrained from informing the Turkish authorities."

According to Al-Masdar, the document stated that the coup was due to be kicked off in August. However, it remains a secret why the coup attempt was launched in mid-July.

"Saudi Arabia and Turkey disagree on different matters including the Kurdish issue and the Iraqi disputed city of Mosul. Furthermore, the recent thaw between Turkey and Russia following the apology phone call made by Erdogan has apparently become a great matter of concern for Saudi and UAE authorities," the media outlet suggested.

However, on July 28 Qatar's Ministry of Defense denied media reports that Khalid al-Attiyah accused Riyadh and Abu Dhabi of supporting the coup and labeled the tweet as fabricated.

"The Directorate of Protocol, Public Relations and Moral Guidance at the Ministry of Defense has denied reports by some media about the fabricated tweet against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which was attributed to Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, regarding recent events in the Republic of Turkey," Qatar News Agency reported Sunday.

Meanwhile, the very next day online media outlet Veterans Today cited the influential Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, owned by Prince Faisal bin Salman that lambasted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"When a Saudi newspaper owned by the son of the king attacks Erdogan, it is a symptom of the swiftly deteriorating relationship between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Furthermore, this deterioration is largely due to the improving relations between Turkey and Iran. This is a significant shift in Middle Eastern politics and will have significant implications, not least for Islamic State and the conflicts in Syria and Iraq," Ian Greenhalgh of Veterans Today commented on the matter.

Simultaneously, citing sources close to Turkey's intelligence services, Middle East Eye editor David Hearst reported that "the UAE's government collaborated with coup plotters in Turkey before the unsuccessful attempt was launched, using exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan."

Hearst revealed that Dahlan had certain ties to Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen, an alleged mastermind behind the failed coup attempt.

"Dahlan is alleged to have transferred money to the plotters in Turkey in the weeks before the coup attempt and to have communicated with Fethullah Gulen, the cleric alleged by Turkey to have masterminded the plot, via a Palestinian businessman based in the US. The identity of this man, who is close to Dahlan, is known to a Turkish intelligence service," the journalist underscored.

Hearst called attention to the fact that in the course of the coup attempt pan-Arab media based in Dubai reported that the uprising against Erdogan and the ruling party had been successful. Only 16 hours later did the government of the UAE condemn the coup.

According to Hearst, the UAE leadership is fearful of backlash from Ankara.

"They [UAE] now feel that Erdogan is in full power. They do not like him personally and think of him as a man who will seek to take revenge. Once Erdogan has cleaned out the stables, they think he will then turn on those outside the country who supported the coup," a source with the knowledge of the matter told the journalist.

As the date of the Turkish President’s visit to Moscow draws near, it remains to be seen whether Ankara is ready to mend ties with Russia and Syria in order to fight Daesh and Nusra Front terrorists together.

Moscow May Help Unite Turkey and Syria Against Daesh
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160730/1043787399/russia-turkey-syria-relations.html

Dr. Celalettin Yavuz, a prominent political analyst and former foreign policy and security advisor to the head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), told Sputnik that during his visit to Moscow, which is scheduled for August 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does intend to discuss the fight against Daesh (ISIS/Islamic State) and Jabhat al-Nusra with the Russian government.

He pointed out that given the current situation, mending relations between Ankara and Damascus has become a priority. According to Yavuz, if Turkey and Syria start cooperating in the ongoing fight against Islamist terrorists, it would be a significant breakthrough and a very positive development for both countries.

He added that establishing cooperation between Turkey and Iraq is also important, despite the fact that the issue of Turkey's military presence on Iraqi soil has soured the relations between the two nations.

According to Turkish media reports, there was a secret NATO structure involved in the attempted coup that took place in Turkey on July 15, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten wrote.

Erdogan Wants to 'Smash NATO Secret Army' Allegedly Involved in Attempted Coup
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160803/1043902428/erdogan-smash-nato-secret-army.html

The media source, referring to reports of Turkish media, wrote that this structure has primarily been used by the British and Americans to influence political events in Turkey.

The newspaper also noted that Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim cleric, who was accused by the Turkish government of plotting the coup, could also be a part of this structure.

"If one wants to again create relationship of trust with the Western institutions, Gladio [clandestine NATO structure] in Turkey must be eliminated as it already was in several Western countries" Turkish journalist Ozcan Tikit wrote for newspaper Habertürk.

According to DWN, Erdogan and the Turkish government are determined to "completely smash this clandestine structure."

According to DWN, Erdogan and the Turkish government are determined to "completely smash this clandestine structure."

"Erdogan is determined to smash Gladio in any case. Because the head of state has — albeit belatedly — realized that NATO seeks to harm Turkey's territorial integrity," the newspaper noted.

At the same time, former head of Turkish intelligence services Bülent Orakoglu argued that NATO's secret structures are active not only in Turkey, but also in the whole Europe.

"There is a force that wants the EU to dissolve. This force is a new form of Gladio, which carries out its operations among the population. I am confident that there is a Gladio structure in Europe which is working towards the dissolution of the EU," Orakoglu said.