Major Says No One In Erdoğan Assassination Attempt Trial Has Links To Gülen


Date posted: February 22, 2017

One of 37 officers who are standing trial on charges of taking part in an assassination attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a failed coup on July 15 has said none of the officers in the trial has any links to the faith-based Gülen movement.

Maj. Taner Berber said during a hearing of the trial of 47 people, 37 of whom are officers, at the Muğla 2nd High Criminal Court that although there is a consensus among the public about the Gülen movement being behind the coup attempt, he is a nationalist officer who is committed to the principles of Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

“We have been subjected to various tests since military school. If we had any links to the group, it would have been revealed. None of us including me has any links to the group. If there is someone who has nothing to do with this group, it’s those people behind me,” said Berber, pointing to the other officers facing coup charges in the same trial.

The major also said he and his colleagues had no intention of killing Erdoğan and that they thought they were taking part in a terror operation.

A 37-strong team of special forces members that attacked Erdoğan’s hotel on July 15 killed two policemen. Six aggravated life sentences were demanded for each of the 47 suspects.

SOLDIER RETRACTS STATEMENTS, CLAIMING PRESSURE WHILE IN CUSTODY

Meanwhile, one of 37 officers who are standing trial on charges of taking part in an assassination attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a failed coup on July 15 has retracted his initial statements, claiming that they were made under duress during his interrogation.

Noncommissioned officer Zekariya Kuzu said during a hearing on Tuesday that he has nothing to the with the Gülen movement and that his initial statements while in custody were taken under pressure.

In his initial statements taken and signed while he was in custody, Kuzu had reportedly talked about his connections to the Gülen movement, which is accused by the government of masterminding the coup attempt.

“I said all that as a result of pressure. Some of my remarks were recorded at the police station. My lawyer was visually handicapped and the police showed him where to sign,” said Kuzu, denying allegations of Gülen links.

The indictment was completed in only four months, considered unusually rapid given the average preparation time for indictments in Turkey. President Erdoğan also filed a criminal complaint against the suspects for allegedly trying to kill him in Marmaris.

Erdoğan called the botched coup a great gift of God as he immediately put the blame on the Gülen movement.

A report prepared by the EU Intelligence Analysis Centre (IntCen) revealed that although President Erdoğan and the Turkish government immediately put the blame for the July 15 failed coup on the Gülen movement, the coup attempt was staged by a range of Erdoğan’s opponents due to fears of an impending purge, according to a report by The Times newspaper on Jan. 17. (The SCF with turkishminute.com) Feb.21, 2017

Source: Stockholm Center for Freedom , February 21, 2017

Tags: | | |


Related News

Erdogan and Gulen: Inevitable Clash?

Unlike Turkey’s classical Islamic activists, Gulen always distanced himself from politics, and like Said Nursi, his main source of inspiration, his message was focused on grassroots social activism, most importantly an education combining both Islam and modern science. Hizmet’s main goal was social: raising a new “golden” generation fusing moderate Muslim and Modern ethics to become the backbone of Turkey’s society and bureaucracy and its messengers to the world.

AK Party’s ’parallel’ election campaign

In Turkey, the term “pool media” refers to the pro-government media outlets which were created through funds raised by various businessmen to protect the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) interests.

Conceptual contradictions when it comes to rhetoric about ‘parallel state’

.In the wake of the Dec. 17 corruption operations that took place in Turkey, the government removed and changed such an extraordinarily high number of people from their positions in the police force, the justice system and the national education structure that these changes certainly would not have been possible in a state of law. An attempt was made to see these changes happen within the framework of heavy propaganda about the concept of the existence of a “parallel state.”

Feds don’t see extradition for Turkish cleric [Mr. Gulen]

The extradition of an elderly cleric living in Pennsylvania who Turkish officials allege orchestrated last month’s failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has not drawn serious consideration by U.S. officials, a federal law enforcement official said Friday.

Toward a constitutional crisis [in Turkey]

If the government continues to give the impression that it is trying to stop the biggest-ever corruption investigation in the country, Gezi may repeat itself. It is clear that this may harm not only the AK Party, but also the Hizmet movement and Turkey. Only the AK Party can stop this from taking place by convincing people that it is not interfering with the judiciary and that it is fully against corruption.

Hizmet movement rejects claim of forming political party

Hizmet says it is both practically and theoretically impossible to form a political party or to support a specific party, as it has volunteers from many different political ideologies. “This movement, which has no other goals than to serve humanity, would only advise its volunteers to form their political stances according to certain principles, like human rights, democracy, transparency, justice, pluralism, rule of law and freedom of expression and belief,” the statement said.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Gülen: purge of public officials seems ‘arbitrary’

Turkish PM Erdoğan’s imagined enemies

Turkey’s Erdogan and July 15 coup

Old reflexes of media against faith will rise again

Germany: Turkish Intel’s spy list may be deliberate provocation

Gülen says abusive language to cover up sins is hypocrisy

Daily Trust Editorial: In Turkey, fresh affront on democracy

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News