Former Turkish officer at NATO: Coup attempt was never meant to succeed


Date posted: January 26, 2017

A former Turkish officer who served at NATO headquarters in Brussels but was sacked and recalled to Turkey as part of an investigation into a failed coup on July 15 claims that the putsch was clumsily executed and never intended to bring down the government, but rather served as a vehicle for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to eliminate opponents and the ultranationalists to take a prominent role in the military and impose their “Eurasian” agenda on the country.

In an interview published on Tuesday by Vocal Europe, the former officer shared his take on the failed coup, which due to Turkey’s familiarity with coups in the past, he said would have succeeded if it was a serious attempt. Involved with the coup were three groups, the officer said: a small band who masterminded it that included ultranationalists affiliated with Doğu Perinçek and people with ties to Erdoğan; those who thought the coup was being carried out within the chain of command and thus obeyed the orders; and military members who merely viewed the attempt, regardless of who orchestrated it, as an opportunity to rise in the ranks. The officer said that Erdoğan blamed the Gülen movement for the coup due to “animosity” for its sympathizers and also viewed it as an opportunity to cleanse the military of opponents.

Due to the lack of rule of law in Turkey and fears of unfair judicial treatment if he were to return to stand trial, the former officer has chosen to remain in Belgium, although he admits to feeling insecure due to the long reach of the Turkish government in attempting to apprehend alleged coup plotters overseas.

For the original interview in its entirety, go to http://www.vocaleurope.eu/monday-talk-with-the-purged-former-turkish-nato-officer/

Source: Turkish Minute , January 24, 2017


Related News

Suspicious raid against Hizmet-affiliated highschool famous for its success

The raid came just two days after Turkey’s Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) announced the results of the Higher Education Entrance Examination (YGS), which revealed that students from Gülen-inspired schools are among the top scorers of the exam, casting doubt on the objectivity of the raid.

Ergenekon’s coup-lovers owe an apology to the Hizmet movement

Since the start of the Ergenekon trials, some of the suspects and their supporters constantly, steadfastly and fiercely argued that the Ergenekon cases were based on fabricated evidence prepared by the Hizmet movement, claiming that the defendants were actually innocent. They now owe an apology to the Hizmet movement.

Kimse Yok Mu reaches out to Syrians in joint project with UNHCR

Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Kimse Yok Mu Secretary-General Savaş Metin said they have been able to reach out to 17,000 people from 2,900 families with this project, which will conclude by the end of February.

Gülen denies ‘groundless’ Stratfor claims of pressure on AK Party

8 March 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM Well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen has denied recent media reports based on leaked e-mails from security analysis company Stratfor that said members of his movement were putting pressure on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in order to control the party. Gülen said through his lawyer […]

Gülen’s lawyer condemns Erdoğan’s accusations, TÜSİAD calls for sanity in country

Prominent Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s lawyer, Nurullah Albayrak, condemned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s latest comments about Gülen.

Radio Sweden exposes Turkish Gov’t tracks down regime critics in Sweden, threatens to take wives as hostages

Sweden’s official radio station, Radio Sweden, has documented that Turkey’s government is trying to identify and track down supporters of the opposition Gülen Movement in Sweden. In a conversation, a Swedish Gülen supporter is threatened that there would be reprisals if he did not give some concrete information on Gülenist activity in Sweden.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Was there a sincere alliance between the Gulen Movement and Erdogan?

Kimse Yok Mu offers vocational training for Kyrgyz orphans

Gülen says abusive language to cover up sins is hypocrisy

Democracy tree grows in Abant as Turks and Kurds bond

Fethullah Gülen’s book translated into Belarusian

Turkey’s Curious Coup – positions of the Turkish Government, Gulen Movement and Turkey’s Western allies

Action plan put into operation against Hizmet, indictment reveals

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News