Five pilots who bombed coup base on July 15 arrested over Gulen links


Date posted: July 18, 2017

Five pilots who bombed the Akincilar Air Base in Ankara to halt the coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016, were later arrested as part of an investigation into the Gulen movement, which the government accuses of masterminding the takeover attempt, a former military officer said.

Ahmet Zeki Ucok, a retired military prosecutor told CNN Turk TV channel on Saturday that the five pilots who bombed the Akincilar Air Base, the alleged headquarters of the coup attempt at 4.30 in the morning, have been arrested on accusation of membership to the movement.

Earlier, Ekrem Türk, a 34-year old police officer who fought to prevent the advance of army tanks in Turkish capital on July 15, 2016 was also rounded up over Gulen links.


Related News

Erdogan’s Muslim spies: Turkish imams snooping on Merkel’s Germany for President

According to German media, the spies write reports on the alleged Gulen supporters and the secretive information is collected from imams of the Turkish-Islamic Union of the Institute for Religion (Ditib). The names of the so-called spies are then reported to the relevant [Turkish] state bodies and consulates.

Campaign seeks donations for purge-victim Turkish refugees in Greece

A fundraising campaign has been launched for the Turkish refugees who cross into Greece in order to escape an ongoing purge and persecution of Turkish government led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Alleged Hizmet link in Hablemitoğlu murder a lie, says widow

The wife of murdered academic Necip Hablemitoğlu has said a recent attempt to establish a connection between the assassination of her husband and the Hizmet movement is an effort to turn her against the movement.

Rule of law(lessness) in Turkey?

It turned out that I was overly optimistic, for I did not want to believe that a prime minister who bravely fought the old, authoritarian establishment in the people’s name for years could have changed so much, adopting just the same behavior we were subjected to in the past. I had thought that those bitter experiences were only a distant memory. Unfortunately, I was wrong — terribly so.

Purge of ‘parallel state’ or legitimizing discrimination

The profiling of religious Muslim students who are part of the Hizmet movement caused them to be barred from obtaining high positions such as being academics at state institutions, according to Aymaz.

Parallel vs. Persian structure within the Turkish state

Despite all these accusations, the Erdoğan government has not produced any evidence to substantiate his allegations of a parallel structure within the judiciary, police or any other state institution, nor of officials receiving orders from anywhere other than their own legal superiors, nor has he or his government brought any of these charges to court.

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

Businessmen, politicians, religious leaders come together at GYV iftar

Samanyolu news faces cyber attack from abroad

Turkish PM tightens grip on judiciary in parliament vote

Fethullah Gulen Suggests Nonviolent Options to Young Activists

Police takes careful approach on Turkish schools issue

Experts speak on role of digital media in society in İstanbul

New York Times interviews Mr. Gulen

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News