Austria has barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend an event marking the anniversary of last year&#39;s failed coup in Turkey, a spokesman for Austria&#39;s Foreign Ministry said in remarks broadcast on Monday, Reuters reports.

&quot;I can confirm that (Austrian) Foreign Minister (Sebastian) Kurz has in fact forbidden the Turkish economy minister from entering the country,&quot; the spokesman told ORF radio. He said the event was &quot;very big&quot; and that the visit represented a &quot;danger for public order and security in Austria&quot;.

The decision followed a similar move by the Netherlands, which said on Friday Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes was not welcome to visit for a ceremony among Turkish expatriates to commemorate the anniversary.

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Failed coup and emergency rule

Since last year&#39;s failed <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/world/europe/turkey-referendum-polls-erdogan.html" target="_blank">coup </a>Turkey has been under a&nbsp;state of emergency. The government has fired or suspended 130,000 people suspecting of having links to the putsch, and has arrested about 45,000.

In April 2017, Erdogan&nbsp;narrowly won&nbsp;a constitutional referendum that will end the parliamentary system and allow the winner of the 2019 election to assume full control of the government, reports the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/world/europe/turkey-referendum-polls-erdogan.html" target="_blank">New York Times.</a>

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Authoritarianism?

Critics believe the referendum paves the way for authoritarianism in Turkey, while Erdogan claims the power is necessary to snuff&nbsp;out the influence of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-based-cleric-gulen-denies-turkey-coup-charges-2623" target="_blank">Fethullah Gulen</a> loyalists trying to undermine his government.

The New York Times report goes on to say that the referendum itself was conducted in an atmosphere of intimidation, where opposition leaders were shot at or beaten while on the campaign trail by unknown people.

Here is a WION TV segment discussing the fallout from the referendum verdict.&nbsp;

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Turkish President Erdogan has won a controversial referendum that proposes 18 changes in the constitution. The opposition has called it a coup by electoral authorities, citing irregularities. Angry protests have broken out on the streets (WION)
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Critics of Turkey&#39;s government were also stunned earlier when, during Erdogan&#39;s May 2017 visit to the US, his bodyguards beat up Kurdish protesters in Washington DC in broad daylight.&nbsp;

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Erdogan&#39;s bodyguards beat up Kurdish protesters in D.C. Just imagine what we are going through back in Turkey. <a href="https://t.co/4UhOfS27WJ">https://t.co/4UhOfS27WJ</a>
&mdash; Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) <a href="https://twitter.com/MahirZeynalov/status/864653516240977922">May 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Some video footage emerged that appeared to show Erdogan himself, apparently seated in the car below,&nbsp;ordering his bodyguards to attack.

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It seems Erdogan (inside the car) ordered his security detail to beat up protesters in Washington D.C. (v <a href="https://twitter.com/VOANews">@voanews</a>) <a href="https://t.co/8dIli00xNV">pic.twitter.com/8dIli00xNV</a>
&mdash; Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) <a href="https://twitter.com/MahirZeynalov/status/865301089867923456">May 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(With agency inputs)

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The event marking last year's failed coup was called a 'danger for public order and security in Austria'

Austria has barred Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci from entering the country to attend an event marking the anniversary of last year's failed coup in Turkey, a spokesman for Austria's Foreign Ministry said in remarks broadcast on Monday, Reuters reports. "I can confirm that (Austrian) Foreign Minister (Sebastian) Kurz has in fact forbidden the Turkish economy minister from entering the country," the spokesman told ORF radio. He said the event was "very big" and that the visit represented a "danger for public order and security in Austria". The decision followed a similar move by the Netherlands, which said on Friday Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes was not welcome to visit for a ceremony among Turkish expatriates to commemorate the anniversary. Failed coup and emergency rule Since last year's failed coup Turkey has been under a state of emergency. The government has fired or suspended 130,000 people suspecting of having links to the putsch, and has arrested about 45,000. In April 2017, Erdogan narrowly won a constitutional referendum that will end the parliamentary system and allow the winner of the 2019 election to assume full control of the government, reports the New York Times. Authoritarianism? Critics believe the referendum paves the way for authoritarianism in Turkey, while Erdogan claims the power is necessary to snuff out the influence of Fethullah Gulen loyalists trying to undermine his government. The New York Times report goes on to say that the referendum itself was conducted in an atmosphere of intimidation, where opposition leaders were shot at or beaten while on the campaign trail by unknown people. Here is a WION TV segment discussing the fallout from the referendum verdict. Turkish President Erdogan has won a controversial referendum that proposes 18 changes in the constitution. The opposition has called it a coup by electoral authorities, citing irregularities. Angry protests have broken out on the streets (WION) × Critics of Turkey's government were also stunned earlier when, during Erdogan's May 2017 visit to the US, his bodyguards beat up Kurdish protesters in Washington DC in broad daylight. Erdogan's bodyguards beat up Kurdish protesters in D.C. Just imagine what we are going through back in Turkey. https://t.co/4UhOfS27WJ — Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) May 17, 2017 × Some video footage emerged that appeared to show Erdogan himself, apparently seated in the car below, ordering his bodyguards to attack. It seems Erdogan (inside the car) ordered his security detail to beat up protesters in Washington D.C. (v @voanews) pic.twitter.com/8dIli00xNV — Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) May 18, 2017 × (With agency inputs)

Austria bars Turkish economy minister for event marking attempted-coup anniversary

Turkey has dismissed more than 4,400 civil servants including teachers, police officers and academics over their suspected links with terrorist organisations, a decree showed late on Tuesday, in the latest purge since a failed coup last July.

Ibrahim Kaboglu, a prominent constitution professor who has expressed opposition to planned constitutional changes giving President Tayyip Erdogan greater executive powers, was among those ousted under the decree published in the Official Gazette.

Court clerks, computer experts and librarians were also among 4,464 sacked, part of a crackdown since the July coup bid which Turkey says was carried out by US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen denies the allegation.

The dismissals drew criticism on social media, with main opposition CHP lawmaker Sezgin Tanrikulu saying on Twitter that Turkey&#39;s long-established universities were being destroyed.

Turkey has already removed or suspended more than 125,000 people and formally arrested 40,000 since the attempted coup during which rogue soldiers tried to overthrow the government and Erdogan, killing more than 240 people, most of them civilians.

The government says the action is justified by the nature of the threat to the state.

The crackdown has covered a wide range of professions from civil servants and soldiers to medics. Dismissals are announced in the Official Gazette with no reasons given beyond &quot;membership of&nbsp;or links to, terrorist organisations or groups deemed to be acting against national security interests&quot;.

Rights groups and some European countries have said Erdogan is using the current state of emergency to quash dissent. Ankara says the measures are necessary to root out supporters of the putsch and other terrorists.

Among the 330 academics dismissed were those who signed a petition last year criticising military action in the restive south-east against Kurdish militants. Erdogan had said the academics would pay a price for their &quot;treachery&quot;.

Hundreds of civilians, members of the security forces and militants have been killed since the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) reignited in July 2015 in the worst violence Turkey has seen for 20 years. The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

(Reuters)

Turkey has already fired or suspended more than 125,000 people, and formally arrested 40,000, since a failed coup last July

Turkey has dismissed more than 4,400 civil servants including teachers, police officers and academics over their suspected links with terrorist organisations, a decree showed late on Tuesday, in the latest purge since a failed coup last July. Ibrahim Kaboglu, a prominent constitution professor who has expressed opposition to planned constitutional changes giving President Tayyip Erdogan greater executive powers, was among those ousted under the decree published in the Official Gazette. Court clerks, computer experts and librarians were also among 4,464 sacked, part of a crackdown since the July coup bid which Turkey says was carried out by US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen denies the allegation. The dismissals drew criticism on social media, with main opposition CHP lawmaker Sezgin Tanrikulu saying on Twitter that Turkey's long-established universities were being destroyed. Turkey has already removed or suspended more than 125,000 people and formally arrested 40,000 since the attempted coup during which rogue soldiers tried to overthrow the government and Erdogan, killing more than 240 people, most of them civilians. The government says the action is justified by the nature of the threat to the state. The crackdown has covered a wide range of professions from civil servants and soldiers to medics. Dismissals are announced in the Official Gazette with no reasons given beyond "membership of or links to, terrorist organisations or groups deemed to be acting against national security interests". Rights groups and some European countries have said Erdogan is using the current state of emergency to quash dissent. Ankara says the measures are necessary to root out supporters of the putsch and other terrorists. Among the 330 academics dismissed were those who signed a petition last year criticising military action in the restive south-east against Kurdish militants. Erdogan had said the academics would pay a price for their "treachery". Hundreds of civilians, members of the security forces and militants have been killed since the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) reignited in July 2015 in the worst violence Turkey has seen for 20 years. The PKK is designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. (Reuters)

Turkey purges  4,400 more civil servants, including teachers and police

Turkish interior ministry on Saturday said it was probing 10,000 people over suspected terror-related online activity or insulting the government officials on the social media.

The inquiries are part of the &quot;fight against terrorism, which continues with determination everywhere, including on social networks&quot;, the ministry said in a statement, news agency AFP reported.

Turkey has arrested more than 1,600 people suspected of &quot;propaganda or apologising for terrorism&quot; or &quot;insulting state officials&quot; in the past six months, the ministry said.

Turkey declared a state of emergency after a failed military coup in July and launched a wide-scale purge of opponents.

Turkish authorities have been accused of limiting internet access after major incidents to control the spread of information that could &quot;undermine state security&quot;.

Internet access was disrupted after the assassination of Andrei Karlov, Russia&#39;s ambassador to Turkey, on Monday. Twitter and YouTube have slowed since the publication of a video in which the Islamic State group purportedly burned alive two captured Turkish soldiers on Thursday.

An internet monitoring body, Turkey Blocks, also reported difficulties accessing virtual private networks which are routinely used to circumvent restrictions on access to social networks or websites, AFP said.

(With inputs from AFP)

The inquiries are part of the 'fight against terrorism, which continues with determination everywhere, including on social networks'

Turkish interior ministry on Saturday said it was probing 10,000 people over suspected terror-related online activity or insulting the government officials on the social media. The inquiries are part of the "fight against terrorism, which continues with determination everywhere, including on social networks", the ministry said in a statement, news agency AFP reported. Turkey has arrested more than 1,600 people suspected of "propaganda or apologising for terrorism" or "insulting state officials" in the past six months, the ministry said. Turkey declared a state of emergency after a failed military coup in July and launched a wide-scale purge of opponents. Turkish authorities have been accused of limiting internet access after major incidents to control the spread of information that could "undermine state security". Internet access was disrupted after the assassination of Andrei Karlov, Russia's ambassador to Turkey, on Monday. Twitter and YouTube have slowed since the publication of a video in which the Islamic State group purportedly burned alive two captured Turkish soldiers on Thursday. An internet monitoring body, Turkey Blocks, also reported difficulties accessing virtual private networks which are routinely used to circumvent restrictions on access to social networks or websites, AFP said. (With inputs from AFP)

Turkey investigates 10,000 over online 'terror' activity

Turkey suspended more than 12,000 police officers today over suspected links to Fethullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the failed coup in July.

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Of the 12,801 suspended from duty as part of the investigation into the coup attempt, 2,523 were police chiefs, the police headquarters said in a statement. In total, Turkey has suspended around 270,000 police officers, international news agency&nbsp;AFP reported.

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The decision was made over their suspected links to the Gulen movement which Turkey blames for the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15.

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A former Erdogan ally, Fethullah Gulen, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. He has denied involvement in the coup bid and has also ridiculed the description of his group by the Turkish authorities as the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), saying he merely runs a peaceful organisation called Hizmet (Service).

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The government announced a three-month state of emergency a few days after the coup attampt. The emergency was extended on Monday a futher 90 days from October 19.

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According to AFP, a Turkish official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the suspension, adding that the individuals would continue to be paid two-thirds of their salary &quot;pending further investigation&quot;.&nbsp;

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Meanwhile, a prominent pro-Kurdish television channel was raided and broadcasts cut under the emergency laws, over accusations of supporting Kurdish militants.&nbsp;

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Turkish authorities have repeatedly asked the United States to extradite or detain Gulen. A team of US officials is reviewing the evidence against the cleric.&nbsp;

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Turkey also led a massive crackdown on media after the attempted coup, imprisoning hundreds of journalists and shutting down media outlets.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The action was taken over suspected links to the Gulen movement which Turkey blames for the failed coup against President Erdogan

Turkey suspended more than 12,000 police officers today over suspected links to Fethullah Gulen, accused of orchestrating the failed coup in July. Of the 12,801 suspended from duty as part of the investigation into the coup attempt, 2,523 were police chiefs, the police headquarters said in a statement. In total, Turkey has suspended around 270,000 police officers, international news agency AFP reported. The decision was made over their suspected links to the Gulen movement which Turkey blames for the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15. A former Erdogan ally, Fethullah Gulen, has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. He has denied involvement in the coup bid and has also ridiculed the description of his group by the Turkish authorities as the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), saying he merely runs a peaceful organisation called Hizmet (Service). The government announced a three-month state of emergency a few days after the coup attampt. The emergency was extended on Monday a futher 90 days from October 19. According to AFP, a Turkish official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the suspension, adding that the individuals would continue to be paid two-thirds of their salary "pending further investigation". Meanwhile, a prominent pro-Kurdish television channel was raided and broadcasts cut under the emergency laws, over accusations of supporting Kurdish militants. Turkish authorities have repeatedly asked the United States to extradite or detain Gulen. A team of US officials is reviewing the evidence against the cleric. Turkey also led a massive crackdown on media after the attempted coup, imprisoning hundreds of journalists and shutting down media outlets. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Turkey suspends more than 12,000 police officers, shuts TV station

The United States confirmed yesterday that Turkey had made a &quot;formal&quot; request for the extradition of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for last month&#39;s coup attempt, but specified the request was not linked to the failed putsch. 
 
Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt. 
 
&quot;We can confirm now that Turkey has requested the extradition of Mr Gulen. But I wouldn&#39;t characterise the request as relating to the coup attempt,&quot; deputy State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. 
 
&quot;We have received a formal extradition request, just not one pertaining to the coup attempt,&quot; said Toner, who did not offer further details on the dossier submitted by Ankara. 
 
For weeks, Turkey has said that it requested Gulen&#39;s extradition to face trial in his home country. It has even accused him of running a &quot;parallel state&quot; in Turkey. Despite constant pressure from Ankara, Washington appeared to be dragging its feet on the issue, saying it had not received a &quot;formal&quot; request and was looking for &quot;evidence&quot; of Gulen&#39;s involvement in the failed putsch. 
 
The latest State Department comments come as diplomats and officials from the US Justice Department were due to meet with Turkish authorities about the Gulen case. Vice President Joe Biden is also expected in Turkey on Wednesday. He will be the highest-ranking US official to visit the NATO ally since the coup attempt. 
 
The controversy swirling around Gulen, 75, has complicated already difficult ties between Washington and Ankara. Turkey has suggested a failure to deliver Gulen would severely damage bilateral relations. 
 
(AFP)

US deputy State Department spokesperson confirmed a 'formal' request but offered no further details on the dossier submitted by Ankara

The United States confirmed yesterday that Turkey had made a "formal" request for the extradition of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for last month's coup attempt, but specified the request was not linked to the failed putsch. Gulen, who has lived in self-exile in the United States since 1999, strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt. "We can confirm now that Turkey has requested the extradition of Mr Gulen. But I wouldn't characterise the request as relating to the coup attempt," deputy State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "We have received a formal extradition request, just not one pertaining to the coup attempt," said Toner, who did not offer further details on the dossier submitted by Ankara. For weeks, Turkey has said that it requested Gulen's extradition to face trial in his home country. It has even accused him of running a "parallel state" in Turkey. Despite constant pressure from Ankara, Washington appeared to be dragging its feet on the issue, saying it had not received a "formal" request and was looking for "evidence" of Gulen's involvement in the failed putsch. The latest State Department comments come as diplomats and officials from the US Justice Department were due to meet with Turkish authorities about the Gulen case. Vice President Joe Biden is also expected in Turkey on Wednesday. He will be the highest-ranking US official to visit the NATO ally since the coup attempt. The controversy swirling around Gulen, 75, has complicated already difficult ties between Washington and Ankara. Turkey has suggested a failure to deliver Gulen would severely damage bilateral relations. (AFP)

US: Gulen extradition request not linked to Turkey coup

The US Justice Department will dispatch a team to Turkey in coming days to pursue allegations by the Turkish government of criminal activity by Fethullah Gulen, Bloomberg news reported on Friday, citing an Obama administration official. 
 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has demanded the United States extradite Gulen, a Turkish-born cleric who lives in Pennsylvania, accusing him of being behind a coup attempt last month. Gulen has denied the accusation. 
 
Meanwhile, the Turkish government is in talks with banks on ending financing to companies linked to the Muslim cleric, Deputy prime minister Mehmet Simsek told broadcaster TRT Haber on Friday. 
 
Simsek, speaking live on the state broadcaster, said that while it was &quot;critical&quot; to stop financing of companies linked to Gulen, there were just a few hundred and the moves would not impact the economy.&nbsp; 
 
Erdogan has also blamed Gulen of playing a role in a series of recent bomb attacks in eastern Turkey blamed on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The team would pursue allegations by the Turkish government of criminal activity by Fethullah Gulen

The US Justice Department will dispatch a team to Turkey in coming days to pursue allegations by the Turkish government of criminal activity by Fethullah Gulen, Bloomberg news reported on Friday, citing an Obama administration official. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has demanded the United States extradite Gulen, a Turkish-born cleric who lives in Pennsylvania, accusing him of being behind a coup attempt last month. Gulen has denied the accusation. Meanwhile, the Turkish government is in talks with banks on ending financing to companies linked to the Muslim cleric, Deputy prime minister Mehmet Simsek told broadcaster TRT Haber on Friday. Simsek, speaking live on the state broadcaster, said that while it was "critical" to stop financing of companies linked to Gulen, there were just a few hundred and the moves would not impact the economy. Erdogan has also blamed Gulen of playing a role in a series of recent bomb attacks in eastern Turkey blamed on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). (Reuters)

US justice department to send team to Turkey for Gulen probe: Bloomberg

Turkish police on Monday raided four major courts in Istanbul in search of 190 suspects wanted over last month&#39;s attempted coup, state media said. 
 
In total, 136 of the wanted prosecutors and other judicial staff working at the courts have been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said. 
 
They are suspected of links to US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara blames for the putsch against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of July 15. 
 
According to official figures, more than 35,000 people have been detained so far in the post-coup crackdown against alleged Gulen supporters, although almost 11,600 have since been released. 
 
Erdogan has said the purge is needed to wipe out what he calls the &quot;virus&quot; of Gulen from Turkish institutions. But critics have expressed alarm that its sheer scope has turned it into a witch hunt. 
 
In a separate development, the former chief prosecutor for the eastern region of Erzurum was detained late Sunday while trying to cross into Syria. 
 
Ekrem Beyaztas was caught by border guards just south of the Turkish town of Kilis, a Turkish official said, asking not to be named, there was no indication over why he had been heading to Syria.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

136 of the wanted prosecutors and other judicial staff working at the courts have been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said

Turkish police on Monday raided four major courts in Istanbul in search of 190 suspects wanted over last month's attempted coup, state media said. In total, 136 of the wanted prosecutors and other judicial staff working at the courts have been detained, the official Anadolu news agency said. They are suspected of links to US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara blames for the putsch against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of July 15. According to official figures, more than 35,000 people have been detained so far in the post-coup crackdown against alleged Gulen supporters, although almost 11,600 have since been released. Erdogan has said the purge is needed to wipe out what he calls the "virus" of Gulen from Turkish institutions. But critics have expressed alarm that its sheer scope has turned it into a witch hunt. In a separate development, the former chief prosecutor for the eastern region of Erzurum was detained late Sunday while trying to cross into Syria. Ekrem Beyaztas was caught by border guards just south of the Turkish town of Kilis, a Turkish official said, asking not to be named, there was no indication over why he had been heading to Syria. (AFP)

Istanbul police raid courts for coup suspects: Reports

Turkey will not compromise with Washington over the extradition of the Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating a failed coup, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday, warning of rising anti-Americanism if the United States fails to extradite. 
 
Yildirim&#39;s comments, at a briefing for local reporters, were the latest to take aim at Turkey&#39;s top NATO ally and coincided with a report that an Istanbul prosecutor wrote to US authorities asking for the detention of cleric Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Turkey says Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in rural Pennsylvania since 1999, masterminded the failed July 15 putsch when a group of rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, warplanes and helicopters in an attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen has denied the charge and condemned the coup. 
 
&quot;There is no compromise apart from this chief terrorist coming to Turkey and being prosecuted,&quot; Yildirim was quoted as saying by state-run Anadolu Agency. 
 
&quot;The only way to prevent the rising (negative) sentiment against America is for the US to hand over this man and make sure Turkey&#39;s justice system holds him accountable.&quot; 
 
Turkey&#39;s foreign minister said this week documents had been sent to the United States and that Turkey had received &quot;positive signals&quot; about Gulen&#39;s possible extradition. Turkey has not said clearly whether it has filed a formal extradition request. 
 
The White House said on Saturday that US vice-president Joe Biden would visit Turkey on August 24, the first trip by a high-ranking US official since the abortive coup. 
 
Yildirim said a US technical team would visit Turkey on Aug. 22 to discuss legal issues relating to the possible extradition, according to Anadolu. He said secretary of state John Kerry is due in October, according to broadcaster CNN Turk. 
 
Yildirim said he believed there would be a &quot;positive outcome&quot; with Washington on the extradition, Anadolu said. 
 
US officials have said that the United States has a formal process for dealing with extradition requests and that Turkey must provide solid evidence of Gulen&#39;s involvement. 
 
The Istanbul chief prosecutor wrote to US authorities asking for Gulen&#39;s detention, CNN Turk said. Turkey&#39;s Justice Ministry passed on the letter, which contained 10 charges against Gulen including attempting to overthrow the government, to the United States, it added. 
 
Gulen said on Friday he would hand himself over to Turkish authorities only if an independent international investigative body first found him guilty. 
 
&quot;If a tenth of the accusations against me are established, I pledge to return to Turkey and serve the heaviest sentence,&quot; he said in an opinion piece in French daily Le Monde. 
 
More 240 people were killed in the putsch, and Turkish authorities say they have detained more than 35,000 people and placed more than 17,000 of them under formal arrest. 
 
Yildirim said that more than 76,000 officials have been suspended and nearly 5,000 dismissed since the coup, including 3,000 soldiers as well as judges and civil servants. 
 
Security crackdown alarms NATO, EU 
 
There is concern among Turkey&#39;s NATO allies as well as the European Union, which it aspires to join, that Erdogan - in power the prime minister or president since 2002 - might be using the purge to eliminate dissent. 
 
Such perceptions have angered senior Turkish officials, who say that Western critics appear to be more concern about the security response than the coup itself. 
 
Still, the scope of the security sweep now appears to be worrying even some in the ruling, Islamist-rooted AK Party. 
 
&quot;Even if the shock absorber of a car breaks down, they say someone with (the Gulenists) has done this,&quot; deputy prime minister Tugrul Turkes told CNN Turk. 
 
&quot;(Such an approach) would make this a witch hunt and would weaken the gravity of what happened on July 15,&quot; said Turkes, a former member of the nationalist opposition who switched to AK. 
 
Erdogan&#39;s critics say he and the AKP he founded allowed Gulen&#39;s followers to rise to important posts within the state apparatus and relied on them to help curb the power of the military, which had ousted four governments since 1960 for posing what it saw as an Islamist threat to the secular order. 
 
The troubled relationship between Gulen&#39;s movement and Erdogan and the AKP he founded burst into the open with a corruption scandal in late December 2013 that fingered members of Erdogan&#39;s inner circle. Erdogan cast the allegations as a manoeuvre orchestrated by Gulen&#39;s followers to undermine him. 
 
Speaking to Reuters today in Turkey&#39;s mainly Kurdish southeastern province of Diyarbakir, Selahattin Demirtas, head of Turkey&#39;s pro-Kurdish opposition, said Erdogan had allowed Gulen&#39;s followers to tighten their hold within state bodies. 
 
&quot;Gulenists have been organising within various state institutions within the last 35-40 years but they had their golden years by all means (after) AKP took the helm (in 2002),&quot; Demirtas said in an interview. 
 
&quot;Until the last three years, staff positions within the state were presented to them openly with the support and encouragement of the AKP. These positions were given to them, and this wasn&#39;t done covertly. They didn&#39;t get these positions by tricking the AK Party. This was an obvious alliance.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

US vice-president Joe Biden would visit Turkey on August 24, the first trip by a high-ranking US official since the abortive coup

Turkey will not compromise with Washington over the extradition of the Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating a failed coup, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday, warning of rising anti-Americanism if the United States fails to extradite. Yildirim's comments, at a briefing for local reporters, were the latest to take aim at Turkey's top NATO ally and coincided with a report that an Istanbul prosecutor wrote to US authorities asking for the detention of cleric Fethullah Gulen. Turkey says Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in rural Pennsylvania since 1999, masterminded the failed July 15 putsch when a group of rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, warplanes and helicopters in an attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen has denied the charge and condemned the coup. "There is no compromise apart from this chief terrorist coming to Turkey and being prosecuted," Yildirim was quoted as saying by state-run Anadolu Agency. "The only way to prevent the rising (negative) sentiment against America is for the US to hand over this man and make sure Turkey's justice system holds him accountable." Turkey's foreign minister said this week documents had been sent to the United States and that Turkey had received "positive signals" about Gulen's possible extradition. Turkey has not said clearly whether it has filed a formal extradition request. The White House said on Saturday that US vice-president Joe Biden would visit Turkey on August 24, the first trip by a high-ranking US official since the abortive coup. Yildirim said a US technical team would visit Turkey on Aug. 22 to discuss legal issues relating to the possible extradition, according to Anadolu. He said secretary of state John Kerry is due in October, according to broadcaster CNN Turk. Yildirim said he believed there would be a "positive outcome" with Washington on the extradition, Anadolu said. US officials have said that the United States has a formal process for dealing with extradition requests and that Turkey must provide solid evidence of Gulen's involvement. The Istanbul chief prosecutor wrote to US authorities asking for Gulen's detention, CNN Turk said. Turkey's Justice Ministry passed on the letter, which contained 10 charges against Gulen including attempting to overthrow the government, to the United States, it added. Gulen said on Friday he would hand himself over to Turkish authorities only if an independent international investigative body first found him guilty. "If a tenth of the accusations against me are established, I pledge to return to Turkey and serve the heaviest sentence," he said in an opinion piece in French daily Le Monde. More 240 people were killed in the putsch, and Turkish authorities say they have detained more than 35,000 people and placed more than 17,000 of them under formal arrest. Yildirim said that more than 76,000 officials have been suspended and nearly 5,000 dismissed since the coup, including 3,000 soldiers as well as judges and civil servants. Security crackdown alarms NATO, EU There is concern among Turkey's NATO allies as well as the European Union, which it aspires to join, that Erdogan - in power the prime minister or president since 2002 - might be using the purge to eliminate dissent. Such perceptions have angered senior Turkish officials, who say that Western critics appear to be more concern about the security response than the coup itself. Still, the scope of the security sweep now appears to be worrying even some in the ruling, Islamist-rooted AK Party. "Even if the shock absorber of a car breaks down, they say someone with (the Gulenists) has done this," deputy prime minister Tugrul Turkes told CNN Turk. "(Such an approach) would make this a witch hunt and would weaken the gravity of what happened on July 15," said Turkes, a former member of the nationalist opposition who switched to AK. Erdogan's critics say he and the AKP he founded allowed Gulen's followers to rise to important posts within the state apparatus and relied on them to help curb the power of the military, which had ousted four governments since 1960 for posing what it saw as an Islamist threat to the secular order. The troubled relationship between Gulen's movement and Erdogan and the AKP he founded burst into the open with a corruption scandal in late December 2013 that fingered members of Erdogan's inner circle. Erdogan cast the allegations as a manoeuvre orchestrated by Gulen's followers to undermine him. Speaking to Reuters today in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeastern province of Diyarbakir, Selahattin Demirtas, head of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition, said Erdogan had allowed Gulen's followers to tighten their hold within state bodies. "Gulenists have been organising within various state institutions within the last 35-40 years but they had their golden years by all means (after) AKP took the helm (in 2002)," Demirtas said in an interview. "Until the last three years, staff positions within the state were presented to them openly with the support and encouragement of the AKP. These positions were given to them, and this wasn't done covertly. They didn't get these positions by tricking the AK Party. This was an obvious alliance." (Reuters)

Turkey warns anti-Americanism if Gulen's extradition fails

Turkey accused the European Union on Wednesday of &quot;encouraging&quot; the plotters on the night of the July 15 coup in an escalating row that has raised questions over Ankara&#39;s future relationship with the bloc. 
 
A day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a highly symbolic visit to Russia, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkish people&#39;s confidence in the EU had &quot;unfortunately fallen&quot; in the wake of the coup, saying the bloc &quot;failed a test&quot; on the night of the putsch. 
 
&quot;Let me say openly, this is because the EU adopted a favourable position to the coup (and) encouraged the putschists,&quot; the minister told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara without expanding further. 
 
He claimed support for the EU, which Turkey has sought to join since the 1960s, had plummeted to some 20 per cent. 
 
Relations between Brussels and Ankara have become increasingly strained since Turkey launched a crackdown, imprisoning and dismissing tens of thousands within the military, judiciary and education in the wake of the putsch which it has blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. 
 
The EU has urged Ankara to act within the rule of law while condemning Erdogan for suggesting the country could bring back the death penalty, abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey&#39;s reforms to join the union. 
 
Ankara has expressed astonishment that no EU official has visited Turkey in the wake of the coup.&nbsp;Cavusoglu&#39;s comments came a day after Erdogan travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Ankara downed one of Moscow&#39;s warplanes in November, triggering a diplomatic crisis between them. 
 
It was his first foreign trip since the failed coup, but the foreign minister said it was not a move to turn Turkey&#39;s focus to the East. 
 
&quot;Our relations with Russia are not a message to the West. We worked very hard to have good relations with Europe for 15 years,&quot; he said, warning that any deterioration in ties would not be Turkey&#39;s fault. 
 
&quot;If the West one day loses Turkey, whatever our relations with Russia and China, it will be their fault.&quot; 
 
Russia and Turkey would work together on military, foreign affairs and intelligence, he said, stressing that both were united in seeing the need for a political solution in Syria. 
 
(AFP)

Turkey's confidence in the EU has fallen because the bloc 'failed a test' on the night of the coup, said the foreign minister

Turkey accused the European Union on Wednesday of "encouraging" the plotters on the night of the July 15 coup in an escalating row that has raised questions over Ankara's future relationship with the bloc. A day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a highly symbolic visit to Russia, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkish people's confidence in the EU had "unfortunately fallen" in the wake of the coup, saying the bloc "failed a test" on the night of the putsch. "Let me say openly, this is because the EU adopted a favourable position to the coup (and) encouraged the putschists," the minister told reporters during a televised briefing in the capital Ankara without expanding further. He claimed support for the EU, which Turkey has sought to join since the 1960s, had plummeted to some 20 per cent. Relations between Brussels and Ankara have become increasingly strained since Turkey launched a crackdown, imprisoning and dismissing tens of thousands within the military, judiciary and education in the wake of the putsch which it has blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. The EU has urged Ankara to act within the rule of law while condemning Erdogan for suggesting the country could bring back the death penalty, abolished in 2004 as part of Turkey's reforms to join the union. Ankara has expressed astonishment that no EU official has visited Turkey in the wake of the coup. Cavusoglu's comments came a day after Erdogan travelled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin for the first time since Ankara downed one of Moscow's warplanes in November, triggering a diplomatic crisis between them. It was his first foreign trip since the failed coup, but the foreign minister said it was not a move to turn Turkey's focus to the East. "Our relations with Russia are not a message to the West. We worked very hard to have good relations with Europe for 15 years," he said, warning that any deterioration in ties would not be Turkey's fault. "If the West one day loses Turkey, whatever our relations with Russia and China, it will be their fault." Russia and Turkey would work together on military, foreign affairs and intelligence, he said, stressing that both were united in seeing the need for a political solution in Syria. (AFP)

Turkey accuses European Union of 'encouraging' coup plotters

Weeks of rallies in protest of a foiled coup attempt in Turkey culminated on Sunday with a massive gathering, never before seen in the country&#39;s modern history which called for &quot;one heart, one nation&quot;. 
 
No official estimate has been provided, but Turkish media estimated that between&nbsp;three and a half to five million Turkish civilians poured into the Yenikapi Square in Istanbul waving Turkish flags, joining President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and leaders of the country&#39;s main political parties.&nbsp;In his speech, Erdogan said that in the face of solidarity against the coup plotters, the country&#39;s enemies have now realised that their job is difficult. 
 
&quot;We fought together in solidarity, leaving aside our differences,&quot; said Erdogan. 
 
He also referred to the goals set for the republic&#39;s 100th anniversary event that includes to be among the world&#39;s top 10 economies.&nbsp;Speaking about the possibility of restoring the death penalty, the President vowed once again that the decision will be approved by the parliament.&nbsp;The issue of a reinstated capital punishment was raised in wake of the failed coup on July 15, but has sparked concern from the West. 
 
The rally under the theme of &quot;Democracy and Martyrs&quot; was called for by the President, but the pro-Kurdish People&#39;s Democratic Party that is also represented within the parliament was not invited, for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers&#39; Party, which has been seeking autonomy in southeastern Turkey. 
 
The bid to overthrow the government by a faction within the military was crushed within hours, but left 240 people dead and more than 2,000 others injured.&nbsp;Rallies to &quot;watch democracy&quot; have been staged every night in city squares across Turkey since the coup attempt was foiled. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve got the Left, the Right and the conservatives in our country and we live in harmony together. I hope no one will sabotage our country,&quot; said a Turkish citizen. 
 
&quot;So, this is very, very good to get united. I&#39;m not here with my wife to support a party. We are here just to support our country and just to support our flag,&quot; said another citizen. 
 
Erdogan announced that the &quot;democracy watch&quot; rallies will continue until the coming Wednesday.&nbsp;Extreme security measures were taken for the massive Yenikapi rally, with 30,000 police officers and several warships and coast guard boats deployed nearby. 
 
(AFP)

The non-partisan rally called for 'one heart, one nation', but the pro-Kurdish party, represented within parliament, wasn't invited

Weeks of rallies in protest of a foiled coup attempt in Turkey culminated on Sunday with a massive gathering, never before seen in the country's modern history which called for "one heart, one nation". No official estimate has been provided, but Turkish media estimated that between three and a half to five million Turkish civilians poured into the Yenikapi Square in Istanbul waving Turkish flags, joining President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and leaders of the country's main political parties. In his speech, Erdogan said that in the face of solidarity against the coup plotters, the country's enemies have now realised that their job is difficult. "We fought together in solidarity, leaving aside our differences," said Erdogan. He also referred to the goals set for the republic's 100th anniversary event that includes to be among the world's top 10 economies. Speaking about the possibility of restoring the death penalty, the President vowed once again that the decision will be approved by the parliament. The issue of a reinstated capital punishment was raised in wake of the failed coup on July 15, but has sparked concern from the West. The rally under the theme of "Democracy and Martyrs" was called for by the President, but the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party that is also represented within the parliament was not invited, for its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, which has been seeking autonomy in southeastern Turkey. The bid to overthrow the government by a faction within the military was crushed within hours, but left 240 people dead and more than 2,000 others injured. Rallies to "watch democracy" have been staged every night in city squares across Turkey since the coup attempt was foiled. "We've got the Left, the Right and the conservatives in our country and we live in harmony together. I hope no one will sabotage our country," said a Turkish citizen. "So, this is very, very good to get united. I'm not here with my wife to support a party. We are here just to support our country and just to support our flag," said another citizen. Erdogan announced that the "democracy watch" rallies will continue until the coming Wednesday. Extreme security measures were taken for the massive Yenikapi rally, with 30,000 police officers and several warships and coast guard boats deployed nearby. (AFP)

Millions gather in Istanbul after failed coup

President Tayyip Erdogan accused the West of supporting terrorism and standing by coups on Tuesday, questioning Turkey&#39;s relationship with the United States and saying the &quot;script&quot; for an abortive putsch last month was &quot;written abroad&quot;. 
 
In a combative speech at his palace in Ankara, Erdogan said charter schools in the United States were the main source of income for the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who he says masterminded the bloody July 15 putsch. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m calling on the United States: what kind of strategic partners are we, that you can still host someone whose extradition I have asked for?&quot; Erdogan said in a speech to local representatives of multinational firms operating in Turkey. 
 
&quot;This coup attempt has actors inside Turkey, but its script was written outside. Unfortunately, the West is supporting terrorism and stands by coup plotters,&quot; he said in comments which were met with applause&nbsp;and broadcast live. 
 
The 75-year-old Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies any involvement in the failed coup. President Barack Obama has said Washington will only extradite him if Turkey provides evidence of wrongdoing. 
 
The fallout from the abortive coup, in which more than 230 people were killed as mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in a bid to seize power, has deepened a rift between Ankara and its Western allies. 
 
Erdogan and many Turks have been frustrated by US and European criticism of a crackdown in the wake of the putsch, accusing the West of greater concern about the rights of the plotters than the gravity of the threat to a NATO member state. 
 
More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup, prompting fears that Erdogan is pursuing an indiscriminate crackdown on all forms of dissent and using the situation to tighten his grip on power. 
 
&quot;If we have mercy on those who carried out this coup attempt, we will be the ones to be pitied,&quot; he said. 
 
The leader of the main secularist opposition CHP, which has condemned the coup and been supportive of the government&#39;s reaction so far, said a state of emergency declared in its aftermath now risked being used to make sweeping changes to the security forces without appropriate parliamentary support. 
 
&quot;There is no doubt that the law on emergency rule was issued in line with the constitution. But there is concern that its application is being used to exceed the goal,&quot; Kemal Kilicdaroglu told a meeting of the CHP. 
 
&quot;It may be necessary to restructure the state, undoubtedly, but this subject must go before parliament.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

President Erdogan says Fethullah Gulen was the mastermind behind the failed coup. He added that the West is supporting terrorism

President Tayyip Erdogan accused the West of supporting terrorism and standing by coups on Tuesday, questioning Turkey's relationship with the United States and saying the "script" for an abortive putsch last month was "written abroad". In a combative speech at his palace in Ankara, Erdogan said charter schools in the United States were the main source of income for the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who he says masterminded the bloody July 15 putsch. "I'm calling on the United States: what kind of strategic partners are we, that you can still host someone whose extradition I have asked for?" Erdogan said in a speech to local representatives of multinational firms operating in Turkey. "This coup attempt has actors inside Turkey, but its script was written outside. Unfortunately, the West is supporting terrorism and stands by coup plotters," he said in comments which were met with applause and broadcast live. The 75-year-old Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, denies any involvement in the failed coup. President Barack Obama has said Washington will only extradite him if Turkey provides evidence of wrongdoing. The fallout from the abortive coup, in which more than 230 people were killed as mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in a bid to seize power, has deepened a rift between Ankara and its Western allies. Erdogan and many Turks have been frustrated by US and European criticism of a crackdown in the wake of the putsch, accusing the West of greater concern about the rights of the plotters than the gravity of the threat to a NATO member state. More than 60,000 people in the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been detained, suspended or placed under investigation since the coup, prompting fears that Erdogan is pursuing an indiscriminate crackdown on all forms of dissent and using the situation to tighten his grip on power. "If we have mercy on those who carried out this coup attempt, we will be the ones to be pitied," he said. The leader of the main secularist opposition CHP, which has condemned the coup and been supportive of the government's reaction so far, said a state of emergency declared in its aftermath now risked being used to make sweeping changes to the security forces without appropriate parliamentary support. "There is no doubt that the law on emergency rule was issued in line with the constitution. But there is concern that its application is being used to exceed the goal," Kemal Kilicdaroglu told a meeting of the CHP. "It may be necessary to restructure the state, undoubtedly, but this subject must go before parliament." (Reuters)

Erdogan says Turkey's coup script was 'written abroad'

Berlin played down Turkey&#39;s decision to call in a high-ranking German diplomat today amid tensions over a rally in Cologne, saying such &quot;invitations&quot; were nothing extraordinary. 
 
&quot;In the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event, normal for a representative of a country to be called into the foreign ministry of his host country,&quot; Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the German foreign ministry told journalists. 
 
&quot;That happens in Turkey... That happens too in Berlin. Therefore that is not unusual,&quot; he said, adding that the meeting had likely to do with Sunday&#39;s demonstration. 
 
Tens of thousands of people had rallied in Cologne in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup on July 15. 
 
But Ankara was angered by a German court&#39;s decision to ban the demonstration&#39;s organisers from screening live speeches from Turkey by politicians. 
 
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called the ban unacceptable and a &quot;violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly&quot;. 
 
Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks, making up Turkey&#39;s largest diaspora, and tensions over the coup have put authorities there on the&nbsp;edge. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Martin Schaefer, spokesman for German foreign ministry, said that in the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event

Berlin played down Turkey's decision to call in a high-ranking German diplomat today amid tensions over a rally in Cologne, saying such "invitations" were nothing extraordinary. "In the day-to-day dealings between countries, it is a daily event, normal for a representative of a country to be called into the foreign ministry of his host country," Martin Schaefer, spokesman for the German foreign ministry told journalists. "That happens in Turkey... That happens too in Berlin. Therefore that is not unusual," he said, adding that the meeting had likely to do with Sunday's demonstration. Tens of thousands of people had rallied in Cologne in support of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup on July 15. But Ankara was angered by a German court's decision to ban the demonstration's organisers from screening live speeches from Turkey by politicians. Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin called the ban unacceptable and a "violation of the freedom of expression and the right to free assembly". Germany is home to three million ethnic Turks, making up Turkey's largest diaspora, and tensions over the coup have put authorities there on the edge. (AFP)

Berlin plays down Turkey's decision to call German diplomat

Turkish authorities on Saturday released from jail 62 students from Istanbul&#39;s military academy, more than two weeks after the July 15 attempted coup, local media reported. 
 
Many of the students at Kuleli military high school in the city were believed to be teenagers caught up in the failed putsch by a rogue group in the military which tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power. 
 
The students walked out of the gates of the prison in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul to an emotional reunion with crying relatives who had been waiting, private Dogan news agency reported. 
 
An Istanbul court ordered the release of the students late on Friday among a total of 758 soldiers, adding to another 3,500 former suspects already set free. However, 231 soldiers were remanded in custody in the same hearings, the agency reported. 
 
The case of the students had amplified concerns that many of the thousands of soldiers detained nationwide over complicity in the coup may have only been following orders and had no idea a putsch was in progress. 
 
Turkish officials have insisted that each case is being examined and no individual is going to be unfairly punished. Since the coup, nearly half of the military&rsquo;s generals and admirals have been dismissed. Turkey detained more than 18,000 people over the attempted putsch which has been blamed on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen -- a charge he denies. 
 
Nearly 70,000 people have been suspended from their jobs within state institutions, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday. Almost 43,000 of those were from the education ministry. 
 
(AFP)

An Istanbul court ordered the release among a total of 758 soldiers, adding to another 3,500 former suspects already set free

Turkish authorities on Saturday released from jail 62 students from Istanbul's military academy, more than two weeks after the July 15 attempted coup, local media reported. Many of the students at Kuleli military high school in the city were believed to be teenagers caught up in the failed putsch by a rogue group in the military which tried to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power. The students walked out of the gates of the prison in Maltepe on the Asian side of Istanbul to an emotional reunion with crying relatives who had been waiting, private Dogan news agency reported. An Istanbul court ordered the release of the students late on Friday among a total of 758 soldiers, adding to another 3,500 former suspects already set free. However, 231 soldiers were remanded in custody in the same hearings, the agency reported. The case of the students had amplified concerns that many of the thousands of soldiers detained nationwide over complicity in the coup may have only been following orders and had no idea a putsch was in progress. Turkish officials have insisted that each case is being examined and no individual is going to be unfairly punished. Since the coup, nearly half of the military’s generals and admirals have been dismissed. Turkey detained more than 18,000 people over the attempted putsch which has been blamed on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen -- a charge he denies. Nearly 70,000 people have been suspended from their jobs within state institutions, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday. Almost 43,000 of those were from the education ministry. (AFP)

Turkey releases 62 military academy students: Local media

Turkey on Wednesday deepened a crackdown on suspected followers of a US-based cleric it blames for a failed coup, dismissing nearly 1,700 military personnel and shutting 131 media outlets, moves that may spark more concern among its Western allies. 
 
So far, tens of thousands of people - including police, judges and teachers - have been suspended or placed under investigation since the July 15-16 coup, which Turkey says was staged by a faction within the military loyal to the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but whose movement has a wide following in Turkey where it runs a large network of schools, has denied any involvement in the failed putsch. 
 
Western governments and human rights groups, while condemning the abortive coup in which at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured, have expressed concern over the extent of the crackdown, suggesting President Tayyip Erdogan may be using it to stifle dissent and tighten his grip on power. 
 
Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possibly death on the night of the coup, denies the crackdown has wider aims and says the Gulen movement threatened democracy by attempting to build a &quot;parallel state&quot; within the military, media and civil service. 
 
On Wednesday, the military dishonourably discharged 1,684 of its personnel, a Turkish government official said, citing their role in the failed coup. Of those, 149 were generals and admirals, said the official, who requested anonymity. Data show that would represent roughly 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in Turkey&#39;s military. 
 
Broadcaster CNN Turk has reported that more than 15,000 people, including around 10,000 soldiers had been detained so far over the coup, citing the interior minister. Of those, more than 8,000 were formally arrested pending trial, it said. 
 
In addition, the government said in its official gazette that three news agencies, 16 television channels, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishers have been ordered shut down. 
 
These moves, which follow the closure of other media outlets with suspected Gulenist ties as well as the detention of journalists will further stoke concerns among rights groups and Western governments about the scale of Erdogan&#39;s post-coup purges. 
 
The United States said on Wednesday it understood Turkey&#39;s need to hold perpetrators of the attempted coup to account, but said the detention of more journalists was part of a &quot;troubling trend&quot;. 
 
Journalists detained 
 
Turkey ordered another 47 journalists detained on Wednesday, singling out columnists and other staff of the now defunct Zaman newspaper, the government official said. Authorities in March shut down Zaman, widely seen as the Gulen movement&#39;s flagship media organisation. 
 
&quot;The prosecutors aren&#39;t interested in what individual columnists wrote or said,&quot; said the official, who requested anonymity. &quot;At this point, the reasoning is that prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation.&quot; 
 
However, the list includes journalists, such as Sahin Alpay, known for their leftist activism who do not share the religious worldview of the Gulenist movement. This has fuelled the concerns that the investigation may be turning into a witch-hunt of the president&#39;s political opponents. 
 
The media reported on Monday that arrest warrants had been issued for 42 other journalists, 16 of whom have so far been taken into custody. 
 
Alpay is a former official of Turkey&#39;s left-leaning, secularist main opposition CHP party. The Dogan news agency said police raided his home in Istanbul early on Wednesday and detained him after a 2-1/2-hour search of the property. 
 
Separately, Turkey&#39;s capital markets board said it had revoked the licence of the head of research at brokerage AK Investment and called for him to face charges over a report he wrote to investors analysing the coup. 
 
Spirit of Unity 
 
Erdogan&#39;s ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party and opposition parties, usually bitterly divided, have demonstrated a rare spirit of unity since the abortive coup and are seeking consensus on constitutional amendments partly aimed at &quot;cleansing&quot; the state apparatus of Gulenist supporters. 
 
A senior AK Party official said on Wednesday the parties were discussing plans to increase parliamentary control of a key state body that appoints judges and prosecutors. 
 
Also on Wednesday a government official said Turkish special forces were still hunting in the hills around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris for a group of 11 commandos who are believed to have tried to capture or kill Erdogan on the night of the coup, when he was on holiday in the area. 
 
In testimony provided following his detention, Major General Mehmet Disli, the brother of a prominent ruling party lawmaker, strongly denied allegations that he was involved in the coup, saying he had been forced by the plotters to mediate with the chief of the military&#39;s General Staff on July 15. 
 
General Staff head Hulusi Akar was held hostage for hours by the plotters, but refused to join their coup. 
 
Erdogan, a popular but polarising figure who has dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade, will chair an annual meeting of the Supreme Military Council (YAS) on Thursday after vowing to restructure the armed forces following the coup. 
 
The General Staff said 35 planes, including 24 fighter jets, 37 helicopters, 74 tanks and three ships had been used by the coup plotters, NTV reported. It put the number of soldiers from the Gulenist network involved in the attempted putsch at 8,651, or about 1.5 percent of the armed forces. 
 
In Greece, authorities on Wednesday postponed hearings for eight Turkish soldiers who sought asylum there after fleeing Turkey. The men - three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors - deny being involved in the coup, but Ankara has branded them &quot;traitors&quot; and is demanding their extradition. 
 
Erdogan has also signalled the country might restore the death penalty in the wake of the failed coup, citing strong public support for such a move, though the European Union has made clear this would scupper Turkey&#39;s decades-old bid to join the bloc. 
 
Pivot to Moscow 
 
Turkish officials have complained of what they perceive as a lack of support from the EU over the coup, while European leaders have urged Ankara to show restraint and a sense of proportion in bringing those responsible to justice. 
 
The attempted coup has also tested Turkey&#39;s ties with its NATO ally the United States, where Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999. Responding to Turkey&#39;s request for Gulen&#39;s swift extradition, Washington has said Ankara must first provide clear evidence of his involvement in the coup. 
 
Gulen lives in a secluded compound in Pennsylvania&#39;s Pocono Mountains, but Erdogan has reason to worry about the reclusive cleric&#39;s reach inside Turkey. In 2013, his followers in the police and judiciary opened a corruption probe into business associates of Erdogan, then prime minister, who denounced the investigation as a foreign plot. 
 
The strains with the EU and the United States have coincided with Turkey&#39;s renewed push to repair ties with Russia, badly hurt last November by the Turkish downing of a Russian jet involved in military operations in Syria, and Moscow&#39;s subsequent imposition of trade sanctions. 
 
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said talks with Russian officials this week on improving bilateral relations had taken place &quot;in a very positive atmosphere&quot;. 
 
Simsek, respected by Western investors as a safe pair of hands in guiding the Turkish economy, also said he saw no reason to downgrade Turkey&#39;s credit rating following the coup. 
 
Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s recently revised the country&#39;s sovereign debt outlook to negative from stable and Moody&#39;s has said it will review the rating for a possible downgrade. 
 
(Reuters)

Government's official gazette said 3 news agencies, 16 television channels, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishers to shut service

Turkey on Wednesday deepened a crackdown on suspected followers of a US-based cleric it blames for a failed coup, dismissing nearly 1,700 military personnel and shutting 131 media outlets, moves that may spark more concern among its Western allies. So far, tens of thousands of people - including police, judges and teachers - have been suspended or placed under investigation since the July 15-16 coup, which Turkey says was staged by a faction within the military loyal to the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but whose movement has a wide following in Turkey where it runs a large network of schools, has denied any involvement in the failed putsch. Western governments and human rights groups, while condemning the abortive coup in which at least 246 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured, have expressed concern over the extent of the crackdown, suggesting President Tayyip Erdogan may be using it to stifle dissent and tighten his grip on power. Erdogan, who narrowly escaped capture and possibly death on the night of the coup, denies the crackdown has wider aims and says the Gulen movement threatened democracy by attempting to build a "parallel state" within the military, media and civil service. On Wednesday, the military dishonourably discharged 1,684 of its personnel, a Turkish government official said, citing their role in the failed coup. Of those, 149 were generals and admirals, said the official, who requested anonymity. Data show that would represent roughly 40 per cent of all generals and admirals in Turkey's military. Broadcaster CNN Turk has reported that more than 15,000 people, including around 10,000 soldiers had been detained so far over the coup, citing the interior minister. Of those, more than 8,000 were formally arrested pending trial, it said. In addition, the government said in its official gazette that three news agencies, 16 television channels, 45 newspapers, 15 magazines and 29 publishers have been ordered shut down. These moves, which follow the closure of other media outlets with suspected Gulenist ties as well as the detention of journalists will further stoke concerns among rights groups and Western governments about the scale of Erdogan's post-coup purges. The United States said on Wednesday it understood Turkey's need to hold perpetrators of the attempted coup to account, but said the detention of more journalists was part of a "troubling trend". Journalists detained Turkey ordered another 47 journalists detained on Wednesday, singling out columnists and other staff of the now defunct Zaman newspaper, the government official said. Authorities in March shut down Zaman, widely seen as the Gulen movement's flagship media organisation. "The prosecutors aren't interested in what individual columnists wrote or said," said the official, who requested anonymity. "At this point, the reasoning is that prominent employees of Zaman are likely to have intimate knowledge of the Gulen network and as such could benefit the investigation." However, the list includes journalists, such as Sahin Alpay, known for their leftist activism who do not share the religious worldview of the Gulenist movement. This has fuelled the concerns that the investigation may be turning into a witch-hunt of the president's political opponents. The media reported on Monday that arrest warrants had been issued for 42 other journalists, 16 of whom have so far been taken into custody. Alpay is a former official of Turkey's left-leaning, secularist main opposition CHP party. The Dogan news agency said police raided his home in Istanbul early on Wednesday and detained him after a 2-1/2-hour search of the property. Separately, Turkey's capital markets board said it had revoked the licence of the head of research at brokerage AK Investment and called for him to face charges over a report he wrote to investors analysing the coup. Spirit of Unity Erdogan's ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party and opposition parties, usually bitterly divided, have demonstrated a rare spirit of unity since the abortive coup and are seeking consensus on constitutional amendments partly aimed at "cleansing" the state apparatus of Gulenist supporters. A senior AK Party official said on Wednesday the parties were discussing plans to increase parliamentary control of a key state body that appoints judges and prosecutors. Also on Wednesday a government official said Turkish special forces were still hunting in the hills around the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris for a group of 11 commandos who are believed to have tried to capture or kill Erdogan on the night of the coup, when he was on holiday in the area. In testimony provided following his detention, Major General Mehmet Disli, the brother of a prominent ruling party lawmaker, strongly denied allegations that he was involved in the coup, saying he had been forced by the plotters to mediate with the chief of the military's General Staff on July 15. General Staff head Hulusi Akar was held hostage for hours by the plotters, but refused to join their coup. Erdogan, a popular but polarising figure who has dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade, will chair an annual meeting of the Supreme Military Council (YAS) on Thursday after vowing to restructure the armed forces following the coup. The General Staff said 35 planes, including 24 fighter jets, 37 helicopters, 74 tanks and three ships had been used by the coup plotters, NTV reported. It put the number of soldiers from the Gulenist network involved in the attempted putsch at 8,651, or about 1.5 percent of the armed forces. In Greece, authorities on Wednesday postponed hearings for eight Turkish soldiers who sought asylum there after fleeing Turkey. The men - three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors - deny being involved in the coup, but Ankara has branded them "traitors" and is demanding their extradition. Erdogan has also signalled the country might restore the death penalty in the wake of the failed coup, citing strong public support for such a move, though the European Union has made clear this would scupper Turkey's decades-old bid to join the bloc. Pivot to Moscow Turkish officials have complained of what they perceive as a lack of support from the EU over the coup, while European leaders have urged Ankara to show restraint and a sense of proportion in bringing those responsible to justice. The attempted coup has also tested Turkey's ties with its NATO ally the United States, where Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999. Responding to Turkey's request for Gulen's swift extradition, Washington has said Ankara must first provide clear evidence of his involvement in the coup. Gulen lives in a secluded compound in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, but Erdogan has reason to worry about the reclusive cleric's reach inside Turkey. In 2013, his followers in the police and judiciary opened a corruption probe into business associates of Erdogan, then prime minister, who denounced the investigation as a foreign plot. The strains with the EU and the United States have coincided with Turkey's renewed push to repair ties with Russia, badly hurt last November by the Turkish downing of a Russian jet involved in military operations in Syria, and Moscow's subsequent imposition of trade sanctions. On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said talks with Russian officials this week on improving bilateral relations had taken place "in a very positive atmosphere". Simsek, respected by Western investors as a safe pair of hands in guiding the Turkish economy, also said he saw no reason to downgrade Turkey's credit rating following the coup. Standard & Poor's recently revised the country's sovereign debt outlook to negative from stable and Moody's has said it will review the rating for a possible downgrade. (Reuters)

Turkey shuts down 131 media outlets

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as he widened a crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after a failed military coup. 
 
Erdogan said the state of emergency, which would last three months, would allow his government to take swift and effective measures against supporters of the coup and was allowed under the constitution. 
 
The state of emergency would go into force after it is published in Turkey&#39;s official gazette and would allow the President and cabinet to bypass Parliament in passing new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. 
 
Erdogan made the announcement during a live television broadcast in front of government ministers after a nearly five-hour meeting of the National Security Council. 
 
&quot;The aim of the declaration of the state of emergency is to be able to take fast and effective steps against this threat against democracy, the rule of law and rights and freedoms of our citizens,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Turkey&#39;s deputy premier said Thursday the state of emergency announced to fight plotters of last weeks failed coup may only last up to 45 days, despite being declared for a three-month span. 
 
&quot;We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible,&quot; Numan Kurtulmus said in quotes carried by private NTV television. 
 
&quot;If conditions return to normal, we think it will take a one or one-and-a-half month period at the maximum. I hope there will be no need for a further extension.&quot; 
 
Turkey imposed a state of emergency as it presses ahead with a crackdown on suspects accused of staging the failed coup, blamed by the government on supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003, has vowed to clean the &quot;virus&quot; responsible for the plot from all state institutions. The depth and scale of the purges have raised concern among Western allies that Erdogan is trying to suppress all dissent, and that opponents unconnected with the plot will be caught in the net. 
 
Kurtulmus insisted that no steps would be taken to restrict basic rights and freedoms, telling journalists that &quot;the decision on the state of emergency is aimed at cleansing the state of the gang&quot; of conspirators. 
 
About 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or are under investigation since Friday&#39;s military coup attempt. 
 
Before announcing the state of emergency, Erdogan said the sweep was not yet over and that he believed foreign countries might have been involved in the attempt to overthrow him. 
 
Speaking through an interpreter in an interview with broadcaster Al Jazeera, Erdogan dismissed suggestions that he was becoming authoritarian and that Turkish democracy was under threat. 
 
&quot;We will remain within a democratic parliamentary system. We will never step away from it,&quot; he said. 
 
Academics were banned from travelling abroad on Wednesday in what a Turkish official said was a temporary measure to prevent the risk of alleged coup plotters in universities from fleeing. State TRT television said 95 academics had been removed from their posts at Istanbul University alone. 
 
About a third of Turkey&#39;s roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a second senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. 
 
The defence ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital Ankara were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. 
 
The threat of prolonged instability in a NATO member country, which had not seen a violent military coup for more than three decades, has shaken investors&#39; confidence. 
 
The lira fell to a record low after ratings agency Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s cut Turkey&#39;s foreign currency credit rating, citing the fragmentation of the political landscape and saying it expected a period of heightened unpredictability. The Istanbul stock index is down 9.5 per cent so far this week, its worst three-day performance since 2013. 
 
Seeking to prevent damage to the economy, Erdogan said in his televised address that his government would not abandon fiscal discipline and that it was not facing liquidity problems. 
 
Military chief refused to back coup bid 
 
About 1,400 were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul on Friday night. 
 
At the height of the abortive coup, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan&#39;s plane in their sights as he returned to Istanbul from a holiday on the coast. Erdogan said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers. 
 
Turkey&#39;s Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt but have also voiced increasing alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. 
 
On Tuesday, authorities shut media outlets deemed to be supportive of Gulen. More than 20,000 teachers and administrators have been suspended from the education ministry. One hundred intelligence officials, 492 people from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister&#39;s office and 300 at the energy ministry have been removed from duty. 
 
Those moves come after the detention of more than 6,000 members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, and the suspension of close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have also been removed. 
 
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. 
 
The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government&#39;s response amounts to backing the coup attempt. 
 
Tensions with US 
 
Erdogan&#39;s spokesman said on Tuesday the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen. US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the failed coup. 
 
Gulen, 75, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook, lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, but has a network of supporters within Turkey. He has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. 
 
A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the President staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. 
 
Washington has said it would consider Gulen&#39;s extradition only if clear evidence was provided, prompting Prime Minister Yildirim to accuse the United States of double standards in its fight against terrorism. 
 
Erdogan struck a more conciliatory note in his comments to Al Jazeera, saying he did not want to link the issue of US use of Turkey&#39;s Incirlik airbase with Ankara&#39;s request for Gulen&#39;s extradition. 
 
The airbase is key to the US-led fight against Islamic State. 
 
&quot;We need to be more sensitive. Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings. We are strategic partners,&quot; Erdogan said. 
 
Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. 
 
(Reuters)

Erdogan, however, dismissed concerns about him turning authoritarian and said Turkey 'will remain within a democratic parliamentary system'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as he widened a crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia after a failed military coup. Erdogan said the state of emergency, which would last three months, would allow his government to take swift and effective measures against supporters of the coup and was allowed under the constitution. The state of emergency would go into force after it is published in Turkey's official gazette and would allow the President and cabinet to bypass Parliament in passing new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. Erdogan made the announcement during a live television broadcast in front of government ministers after a nearly five-hour meeting of the National Security Council. "The aim of the declaration of the state of emergency is to be able to take fast and effective steps against this threat against democracy, the rule of law and rights and freedoms of our citizens," Erdogan said. Turkey's deputy premier said Thursday the state of emergency announced to fight plotters of last weeks failed coup may only last up to 45 days, despite being declared for a three-month span. "We want to end the state of emergency as soon as possible," Numan Kurtulmus said in quotes carried by private NTV television. "If conditions return to normal, we think it will take a one or one-and-a-half month period at the maximum. I hope there will be no need for a further extension." Turkey imposed a state of emergency as it presses ahead with a crackdown on suspects accused of staging the failed coup, blamed by the government on supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan, who has led Turkey as prime minister or president since 2003, has vowed to clean the "virus" responsible for the plot from all state institutions. The depth and scale of the purges have raised concern among Western allies that Erdogan is trying to suppress all dissent, and that opponents unconnected with the plot will be caught in the net. Kurtulmus insisted that no steps would be taken to restrict basic rights and freedoms, telling journalists that "the decision on the state of emergency is aimed at cleansing the state of the gang" of conspirators. About 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or are under investigation since Friday's military coup attempt. Before announcing the state of emergency, Erdogan said the sweep was not yet over and that he believed foreign countries might have been involved in the attempt to overthrow him. Speaking through an interpreter in an interview with broadcaster Al Jazeera, Erdogan dismissed suggestions that he was becoming authoritarian and that Turkish democracy was under threat. "We will remain within a democratic parliamentary system. We will never step away from it," he said. Academics were banned from travelling abroad on Wednesday in what a Turkish official said was a temporary measure to prevent the risk of alleged coup plotters in universities from fleeing. State TRT television said 95 academics had been removed from their posts at Istanbul University alone. About a third of Turkey's roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a second senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held. The defence ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital Ankara were also suspended on Wednesday. The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries. The threat of prolonged instability in a NATO member country, which had not seen a violent military coup for more than three decades, has shaken investors' confidence. The lira fell to a record low after ratings agency Standard & Poor's cut Turkey's foreign currency credit rating, citing the fragmentation of the political landscape and saying it expected a period of heightened unpredictability. The Istanbul stock index is down 9.5 per cent so far this week, its worst three-day performance since 2013. Seeking to prevent damage to the economy, Erdogan said in his televised address that his government would not abandon fiscal discipline and that it was not facing liquidity problems. Military chief refused to back coup bid About 1,400 were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes, strafing Parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul on Friday night. At the height of the abortive coup, the rebel pilots of two F-16 fighter jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights as he returned to Istanbul from a holiday on the coast. Erdogan said he was almost killed or captured by the mutineers. Turkey's Western allies have expressed solidarity with the government over the coup attempt but have also voiced increasing alarm at the scale and swiftness of the response, urging it to adhere to democratic values. On Tuesday, authorities shut media outlets deemed to be supportive of Gulen. More than 20,000 teachers and administrators have been suspended from the education ministry. One hundred intelligence officials, 492 people from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 at the prime minister's office and 300 at the energy ministry have been removed from duty. Those moves come after the detention of more than 6,000 members of the armed forces, from foot soldiers to commanders, and the suspension of close to 3,000 judges and prosecutors. About 8,000 police officers, including in the capital Ankara and the biggest city Istanbul, have also been removed. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein voiced "serious alarm" on Tuesday at the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors and urged Turkey to allow independent monitors to visit those who have been detained. The foreign ministry has said criticism of the government's response amounts to backing the coup attempt. Tensions with US Erdogan's spokesman said on Tuesday the government was preparing a formal request to the United States for the extradition of Gulen. US President Barack Obama discussed the status of Gulen in a telephone call with Erdogan on Tuesday, the White House said, urging Ankara to show restraint as it pursues those responsible for the failed coup. Gulen, 75, whose religious movement blends conservative Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook, lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, but has a network of supporters within Turkey. He has condemned the abortive coup and denied any role in it. A former ally-turned critic of Erdogan, he suggested the President staged it as an excuse for a crackdown after a steady accumulation of control during 14 years in power. Washington has said it would consider Gulen's extradition only if clear evidence was provided, prompting Prime Minister Yildirim to accuse the United States of double standards in its fight against terrorism. Erdogan struck a more conciliatory note in his comments to Al Jazeera, saying he did not want to link the issue of US use of Turkey's Incirlik airbase with Ankara's request for Gulen's extradition. The airbase is key to the US-led fight against Islamic State. "We need to be more sensitive. Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings. We are strategic partners," Erdogan said. Any extradition request would face legal and political hurdles in the United States. Even if approved by a judge, it would still have to go to secretary of state John Kerry, who can consider non-legal factors, such as humanitarian arguments. (Reuters)

Turkish President Erdogan declares emergency after failed coup attempt

Turkey has blocked access to the WikiLeaks website, the telecoms watchdog said on Wednesday, hours after it leaked thousands of ruling party emails just as Ankara grapples with the aftermath of a failed military coup. 
 
About 50,000 soldiers, police, judges, and teachers have been suspended or detained since the attempted coup on the weekend, and Turkey&#39;s Western allies have expressed concern over the crackdown&#39;s reach. 
 
WikiLeaks on Tuesday released nearly 300,000 emails from the AK Party dating from 2010 to July 6 this year. Obtained before the attempted coup, the date of their publication was brought forward &quot;in response to the government&#39;s post-coup purges&quot;, WikiLeaks said on its website.&nbsp;The source of the emails was not connected to the coup plotters or to a rival political party or state, WikiLeaks said. 
 
Turkey&#39;s Telecommunications Communications Board said on Wednesday that an &quot;administrative measure&quot; had been taken against the website, the euphemistic term it commonly uses when blocking access to sites. 
 
Turkey routinely uses Internet shutdowns in response to political events, which critics and human rights advocates see as part of a broader attack on the media and freedom of expression. 
 
Founded by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks publishes leaked material, mostly from governments. In 2010, the organisation published classified US military and diplomatic documents in one of the largest information leaks in US history. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The site released nearly 300,000 AK Party emails, dating from 2010 to July 2016, as Erdogan grapples with the failed military coup

Turkey has blocked access to the WikiLeaks website, the telecoms watchdog said on Wednesday, hours after it leaked thousands of ruling party emails just as Ankara grapples with the aftermath of a failed military coup. About 50,000 soldiers, police, judges, and teachers have been suspended or detained since the attempted coup on the weekend, and Turkey's Western allies have expressed concern over the crackdown's reach. WikiLeaks on Tuesday released nearly 300,000 emails from the AK Party dating from 2010 to July 6 this year. Obtained before the attempted coup, the date of their publication was brought forward "in response to the government's post-coup purges", WikiLeaks said on its website. The source of the emails was not connected to the coup plotters or to a rival political party or state, WikiLeaks said. Turkey's Telecommunications Communications Board said on Wednesday that an "administrative measure" had been taken against the website, the euphemistic term it commonly uses when blocking access to sites. Turkey routinely uses Internet shutdowns in response to political events, which critics and human rights advocates see as part of a broader attack on the media and freedom of expression. Founded by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks publishes leaked material, mostly from governments. In 2010, the organisation published classified US military and diplomatic documents in one of the largest information leaks in US history. (Reuters)

Turkey blocks WikiLeaks website after exposure of ruling party's emails

Turkey will follow France&#39;s example in suspending temporarily the European Convention on Human Rights following its declaration of a state of emergency, Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Thursday, according to broadcaster NTV. 
 
President Tayyip Erdogan announced a three-month state of emergency late on Wednesday after last weekend&#39;s failed military coup, saying it would enable the authorities to act more efficiently to bring those responsible to justice. 
 
France declared its own state of emergency following last November&#39;s attacks by Islamist militants in Paris. 
 
In comments quoted by NTV, Kurtulmus also said Turkey&#39;s state of emergency could end within one to one and a half months. He identified &quot;structural and individual&quot; intelligence failures during the coup attempt and also said that work was underway to restructure the army, NTV reported. 
 
(Reuters)

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Turkey's state of emergency could end within one-and-a-half months, according to NTV

Turkey will follow France's example in suspending temporarily the European Convention on Human Rights following its declaration of a state of emergency, Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Thursday, according to broadcaster NTV. President Tayyip Erdogan announced a three-month state of emergency late on Wednesday after last weekend's failed military coup, saying it would enable the authorities to act more efficiently to bring those responsible to justice. France declared its own state of emergency following last November's attacks by Islamist militants in Paris. In comments quoted by NTV, Kurtulmus also said Turkey's state of emergency could end within one to one and a half months. He identified "structural and individual" intelligence failures during the coup attempt and also said that work was underway to restructure the army, NTV reported. (Reuters)

Turkey to temporarily suspend European Convention on Human Rights

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. 
 
Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday&#39;s failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. 
 
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan&#39;s greatest foe. 
 
Tuesday&#39;s action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. 
 
&quot;We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again,&quot; Yildirim warned. 
 
The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the &quot;Fethullah Terrorist Organisation&quot; -- its name for Gulen&#39;s network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. 
 
Accused of treason : 
 
The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. 
 
The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. 
 
Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday&#39;s coup. 
 
About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. 
 
Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting &quot;revenge&quot; on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. 
 
Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. 
 
Parallel state : 
 
Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. 
 
Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called &quot;treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation,&quot; and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. 
 
He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as &quot;nonsensical&quot;. 
 
Turkey&#39;s anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. 
 
UN rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced &quot;serious alarm&quot; over the purges. 
 
&quot;This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup,&quot; political scientist Ahmet Insel said. 
 
&quot;But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity.&quot; 
 
Erdogan&#39;s suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey&#39;s already embattled bid to join the bloc. 
 
Stability fears : 
 
The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. 
 
The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. 
 
The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. 
 
The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody&#39;s said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. 
 
An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. 
 
State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. 
 
The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan&#39;s Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey&#39;s secular system and has carried out coups in the past. 
 
But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday&#39;s plot and that the &quot;traitors&quot; would be punished severely. 
 
Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. 
 
The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. &quot;If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the 'Fethullah Terrorist Organisation'

Turkey widened its massive post-coup purge to schools and the media on Tuesday, vowing to root out supporters of an exiled Islamic cleric it accuses of orchestrating the attempted power grab. Global alarm is mounting over the retaliatory action since Friday's failed putsch, which has already seen a massive crackdown in the military, police and judiciary and thousands detained including top generals. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had sent dossiers to the United States to demand for the extradition of reclusive preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's greatest foe. Tuesday's action largely targeted supporters of Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police. "We will pull them out by the roots... so that no clandestine terrorist organisation, no separatist organisation, will dare to betray Turkey again," Yildirim warned. The government suspended 15,200 state education employees allegedly linked to the "Fethullah Terrorist Organisation" -- its name for Gulen's network -- and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities. Accused of treason : The authorities also cancelled licences for radio and television stations said to be linked to the so-called Gulenists. The state-run Anadolu news agency said 24 media outlets were hit, while 34 journalists were stripped of their press cards. Already, almost 9,000 people including police, judges and government officials had been sacked in the days following Friday's coup. About 9,300 people have also been detained, including top generals accused of treason for allegedly masterminding the plot as well as soldiers, police and judges. Yildirim nevertheless warned Turks against exacting "revenge" on backers of the attempted overthrow, after disturbing pictures emerged of rough treatment meted out to suspects. Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin defended the mass detentions and called on Washington to cooperate in handing over Gulen. Parallel state : Ankara has long accused Gulen, once a close Erdogan ally sharing his Islamo-conservative views, of operating a parallel state in Turkey with the aim of toppling the government. Gulen dismissed the allegations he was involved in what he called "treason, a betrayal of the Turkish nation," and said he was not concerned by the extradition move. He suggested Erdogan himself may have staged the putsch, an idea dismissed by the presidency as "nonsensical". Turkey's anxious Western allies have told Ankara to abide by the rule of law amid fears about a worsening state of democracy and human rights in the strategic NATO nation. UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged a fair trial for the suspects and voiced "serious alarm" over the purges. "This is the reaction of a wounded animal, a government which fears a repeat of the coup," political scientist Ahmet Insel said. "But it is also a sign that it was already preparing purges of this kind and seized the opportunity." Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has also sent shudders through Europe, with the EU warning such a move would be the nail in the coffin of Turkey's already embattled bid to join the bloc. Stability fears : The coup bid was the most serious threat to Erdogan since he took power first as prime minister in 2003, and saw rebel troops close down bridges in Istanbul, parliament bombed from the sky and protesters shot in the streets. The government says 312 people were killed, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters. The chaos has raised deep concerns about the stability of the country, home to a key base used in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group and which houses a large nuclear weapons stockpile. The ensuing crackdowns have hit financial markets, with the currency plunging to around three Lira to the Dollar, after the central bank cut interest rates and Moody's said it was reviewing Turkey for a possible downgrade. An Ankara court on Monday remanded in custody 26 former generals over the putsch, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, who has been painted by some Turkish media as the mastermind but has denied the claims. State media published images of a haggard-looking Ozturk, one ear heavily bandaged, and other suspects at the courthouse, their hands tied behind their backs. The military has often had strained relations with Erdogan's Islamic-rooted government as the guardians of Turkey's secular system and has carried out coups in the past. But it said the vast majority of its members had nothing to do with Friday's plot and that the "traitors" would be punished severely. Erdogan has remained in Istanbul since he flew back on Saturday from the holiday resort of Marmaris where he was staying when the coup struck. The president, who critics have long accused of becoming increasingly autocratic, has spoken to supporters every night, urging them to maintain a "vigil" for democracy. He told CNN his life had been in grave danger. "If I stayed (in Marmaris) 10, 15 minutes more, I would either have been killed or kidnapped and taken away by them." (AFP)

Turkey targets schools and media, suspends 15,000 state education employees post-coup

Turkish security forces today carried out new raids against suspected plotters of the botched coup against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as international concern grew over the scale of the crackdown. 
 
The authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday&#39;s coup which Erdogan has blamed on his arch enemy the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. 
 
Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy in the city this morning in search of new suspects, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, authorities have also detained General Mehmet Disli, who conducted the operation to capture Turkey&#39;s chief of staff Hulusi Akar during the stand-off, a Turkish official said. 
 
Reports had said that a total of 36 generals had been detained so far. The Dogan agency reported today that 10 of them had now been remanded in custody by the courts. 
 
&#39;Vigil for democracy&#39; 
 
Erdogan has urged citizens to remain on the streets even after the defeat of the coup, in what the authorities describe as a &quot;vigil&quot; for democracy. 
 
New demonstrations of support were held throughout the country on Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. 
 
Thousands of pro-Erdogan supporters waving Turkish flags filled the main Kizilay Square in Ankara while similar scenes were seen in Taksim Square in Istanbul, AFP photographers said. 
 
According to Anadolu, 1,800 additional elite special police forces have been drafted in from surrounding provinces to ensure security in Istanbul. 
 
Eleven soldiers suspected of involvement in the coup were detained Sunday at Istanbul&#39;s Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of the city in an operation that saw shots fired in the air, Turkish television reports said. 
 
Leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have urged Turkey to follow the rule of law in the wake of the coup. 
 
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also said today that the rule of law needed to be protected for the sake of the country. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy this morning in search of new suspects

Turkish security forces today carried out new raids against suspected plotters of the botched coup against the rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as international concern grew over the scale of the crackdown. The authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday's coup which Erdogan has blamed on his arch enemy the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Special Istanbul anti-terror police units raided the prestigious air force military academy in the city this morning in search of new suspects, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Meanwhile, authorities have also detained General Mehmet Disli, who conducted the operation to capture Turkey's chief of staff Hulusi Akar during the stand-off, a Turkish official said. Reports had said that a total of 36 generals had been detained so far. The Dogan agency reported today that 10 of them had now been remanded in custody by the courts. 'Vigil for democracy' Erdogan has urged citizens to remain on the streets even after the defeat of the coup, in what the authorities describe as a "vigil" for democracy. New demonstrations of support were held throughout the country on Sunday night, AFP correspondents said. Thousands of pro-Erdogan supporters waving Turkish flags filled the main Kizilay Square in Ankara while similar scenes were seen in Taksim Square in Istanbul, AFP photographers said. According to Anadolu, 1,800 additional elite special police forces have been drafted in from surrounding provinces to ensure security in Istanbul. Eleven soldiers suspected of involvement in the coup were detained Sunday at Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport on the Asian side of the city in an operation that saw shots fired in the air, Turkish television reports said. Leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have urged Turkey to follow the rule of law in the wake of the coup. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also said today that the rule of law needed to be protected for the sake of the country. (AFP)

Turkey carries out new raids against suspected plotters

The swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey&#39;s membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said today.&nbsp; 
 
Following a failed coup attempt on Saturday, Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors. 
 
&quot;It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage,&quot; Hahn said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m very concerned. It is exactly what we feared,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
&#39;Rule of law has to be protected&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday that&nbsp;Turkey must protect the rule of law as it cracks down after the failed coup. 
 
&quot;We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country. There is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that,&quot; Mogherini said as European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels. 
 
&quot;As we have been the first ones to say that in that tragic night (of Friday&#39;s coup attempt), the democratic and legislative institutions needed to be protected,&quot; she told reporters. 
 
&quot;Today we will say together with ministers that obviously doesn&#39;t mean that rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the country does not count. On the contrary, it needs to be protected for the sake of the country. 
 
&quot;So we will send a strong message on that.&quot; 
 
Turkey&#39;s attempts to join EU hobbled in recent years&nbsp; 
 
Would-be EU member Turkey carried out fresh raids today as the EU ministers were meeting, prompting growing international concern over the scale of the crackdown. 
 
Judges and military commanders are among 6,000 people who were arrested over the weekend as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to stamp out the &quot;virus&quot; of the coup plotters. 
 
Turkey&#39;s attempts to join the 28-nation European Union have been hobbled in recent years by concern over the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan&#39;s record on human rights and press freedom. 
 
But the EU agreed to speed up its membership bid and give visa-free travel to Turks as part of a migrant crisis deal in which Ankara agreed to take back people landing in the Greek islands. 
 
France, Belgium urge restraint&nbsp; 
 
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also insisted &quot;the rule of law must prevail&quot;. 
 
&quot;France has condemned the coup, you can&#39;t accept the military taking power,&quot; he said. &quot;At the same time we have to be vigilant that the Turkish authorities don&#39;t put in place a system which turns back democracy.&quot; 
 
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also urged restraint, saying: &quot;It&#39;s normal to punish those involved in the coup, but it&#39;s normal to ask for respect for the rule of law.&quot; 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

The union urges restraint as the country cracks down heavily on people suspected of plotting the failed coup

The swift rounding up of judges and others after a failed coup in Turkey indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey's membership bid, Johannes Hahn, said today. Following a failed coup attempt on Saturday, Turkish authorities on Sunday rounded up nearly 3,000 suspected military plotters, ranging from top commanders to foot soldiers, and the same number of judges and prosecutors. "It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage," Hahn said. "I'm very concerned. It is exactly what we feared," he added. 'Rule of law has to be protected' Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Monday that Turkey must protect the rule of law as it cracks down after the failed coup. "We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country. There is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that," Mogherini said as European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels. "As we have been the first ones to say that in that tragic night (of Friday's coup attempt), the democratic and legislative institutions needed to be protected," she told reporters. "Today we will say together with ministers that obviously doesn't mean that rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the country does not count. On the contrary, it needs to be protected for the sake of the country. "So we will send a strong message on that." Turkey's attempts to join EU hobbled in recent years Would-be EU member Turkey carried out fresh raids today as the EU ministers were meeting, prompting growing international concern over the scale of the crackdown. Judges and military commanders are among 6,000 people who were arrested over the weekend as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vows to stamp out the "virus" of the coup plotters. Turkey's attempts to join the 28-nation European Union have been hobbled in recent years by concern over the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan's record on human rights and press freedom. But the EU agreed to speed up its membership bid and give visa-free travel to Turks as part of a migrant crisis deal in which Ankara agreed to take back people landing in the Greek islands. France, Belgium urge restraint French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also insisted "the rule of law must prevail". "France has condemned the coup, you can't accept the military taking power," he said. "At the same time we have to be vigilant that the Turkish authorities don't put in place a system which turns back democracy." Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also urged restraint, saying: "It's normal to punish those involved in the coup, but it's normal to ask for respect for the rule of law." (Agencies)

Turkey government seemed to have list of arrests prepared: EU's Johannes Hahn

Turkish authorities today&nbsp;pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained,&nbsp;including generals, that has sparked international concern. 
 
The government&#39;s control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. 
 
There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon.

World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested.

Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today&nbsp;that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise.

&quot;The clean-up operations are continuing,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday.

Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said.

The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan&#39;s rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters.

Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the &quot;victory of democracy&quot; with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the &quot;vigil for democracy&quot; continues. 
 
&#39;Respect rule of law&#39;

The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan&#39;s arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs.

NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti.

In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers.

Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria.

Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey.

Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers &quot;of 20 years old who may have been mistaken&quot;.

The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey.

The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen&#39;s group, which Turkey dubs the &#39;Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)&#39;.

Gulen&#39;s supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful.

Obama has warned Turkey there is a &quot;vital need&quot; for all parties to &quot;act within the rule of law&quot; in the aftermath of the coup.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a &quot;blank cheque&quot; to silence his opponents.

However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a &quot;speedy restoration of strong constitutional order&quot;.

Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said.
&#39;Extradite Gulen&#39;

Friday&#39;s putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul.

Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories.

Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a &quot;parallel state&quot;, and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice.

&quot;Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania,&quot; he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name.

In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: &quot;The United States is behind the coup&quot; and adding it had now to handover Gulen.

But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself.

Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece.

The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said.

Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. 
 
(AFP &amp; Reuters)

Government control restored. An official said a few coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul but they no longer pose a threat

Turkish authorities today pressed on with a ruthless crackdown against suspects in the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with 6,000 detained, including generals, that has sparked international concern. The government's control has been restored across Turkey and although a few groups of coup plotters are holding out in Istanbul, they no longer pose a risk, a senior official told Reuters today. There are also a few important members of the military who have not been captured, the official said, adding that they looked likely to be caught soon. World leaders including US President Barack Obama have strongly condemned the attempted putsch but also urged Turkey to respect the rule of law in its aftermath, especially after pictures emerged showing the rough treatment of some coup plotters when arrested. Justice minister Bekir Bozdag said today that around 6,000 had been detained and the number would rise. "The clean-up operations are continuing," he was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. According to the government, 161 civilians and regular troops lost their lives when a group within the army sought to overthrow the authorities by seizing key strategic points in Istanbul and Ankara late Friday. Over 100 coup plotters were also killed, the military has said. The botched coup bid was the biggest challenge to Erdogan's rule in his 13 years as Prime Minister and now President. But he successfully mobilised supporters into the streets to face down the plotters. Thousands responded late Saturday to a new call by the president to pour into the squares to celebrate the "victory of democracy" with mass rallies of flag-waving Turks reported in cities including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Europe minister Omer Celik urged people to stay on the streets, writing on Twitter that the "vigil for democracy" continues. 'Respect rule of law' The Turkish authorities have made clear they will show no mercy in the wake of the coup, accusing the plotters of acting on behalf of Erdogan's arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Turkish television has shown images of captured suspects forced to lie face down on the tarmac after their arrest while AFP photographers have seen suspects roughly led away pursued by angry mobs. NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far. They include senior figures like Erdal Ozturk, commander of the third army and the commander of the Malatya-based second army, Adem Huduti. In an operation early today, authorities detained the commander of the garrison in the western town of Denizli, Ozhan Ozbakir, along with 51 other soldiers. Turkey also detained a senior air force general and other officers accused of backing the failed coup at a key air base used by US forces for raids in Syria. Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van was detained along with over a dozen lower ranking officers on Saturday at the Incirlik air force base in southern Turkey. Former chief of staff Ilker Basbug told Dogan news agency that Turkey should make a distinction between the coup planners and young soldiers "of 20 years old who may have been mistaken". The crackdown is however not restricted to the military and Anadolu said prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for a total of 2,745 judges and prosecutors across Turkey. The entire investigation is being led by Ankara prosecutors and those arrested are suspected of belonging to Gulen's group, which Turkey dubs the 'Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO)'. Gulen's supporters say their group which they call Hizmet (Service) is entirely peaceful. Obama has warned Turkey there is a "vital need" for all parties to "act within the rule of law" in the aftermath of the coup. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Erdogan against using the failed putsch as a "blank cheque" to silence his opponents. However there was no such concern from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who called Erdogan to wish for a "speedy restoration of strong constitutional order". Erdogan and Putin, who were feuding over the shooting down of a Russian jet until last month, will meet in the first week of August, Anadolu said. 'Extradite Gulen' Friday's putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets. Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul. Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories. Erdogan has pinned the blame on Gulen, an erstwhile ally he accuses of running a "parallel state", and called on Obama to extradite the reclusive preacher to face justice. "Mr President, I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania," he told a triumphant rally in Istanbul late Saturday, carefully not referring to Gulen by name. In an interview with Haberturk television, Labour Minister Suleyman Soylu went even further, saying: "The United States is behind the coup" and adding it had now to handover Gulen. But Gulen has categorically denied any involvement in the plot and suggested it could have been staged by Erdogan himself. Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece. The suspects are still in Greece, but the chopper itself is now been flown back to Turkey, a Turkish official said. Istanbul authorities have sought to get life back to normal but Washington on Saturday warned citizens against travel to the country due to uncertainty after the coup bid. (AFP & Reuters)

Turkey detains 6,000 in 'clean-up ops' after failed military coup, sparks international concern