Turkish leader lashes out at US reaction to coup
TURKISH President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed the United States for its reaction to a failed military coup in Turkey, accusing it of harboring the man behind the plot.
Ankara has demanded the United States extradite Fethullah Gulen, a cleric living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.
The government has accused Gulen of having masterminded the failed July 15 coup, which left 290 people dead.
Gulen has denied any prior knowledge of the attempted putsch, while Washington has asked for evidence of his involvement.
The president lashed out at an American military official who he said commented on the detention of thousands of military personnel in the wake of the coup.
“It’s not up to you to make that decision. Who are you? Know your place...” Erdogan said.
“Instead of thanking this nation that quashed the coup in the name of democracy, on the contrary you are taking sides with the coup plotters,” Erdogan said.
“Besides, the coup plotter is in your country anyway. You can never convince my people otherwise.”
Turkish authorities yesterday widened their post-coup crackdown to the business sector, detaining three top tycoons as part of investigations into the activities Gulen.
Twenty-one journalists also appeared in an Istanbul court after being rounded up in the sweeping purge, which has seen almost 16,000 people detained since the failed July 15 putsch.
Turkish authorities blame Gulen for the rebellion, which aimed to unseat Erdogan, and they are now seeking to erase the reclusive cleric’s influence from all aspects of Turkish life.
Following a shake-up of the military on Thursday after nearly half of its 358 generals were sacked, the top brass of the reshuffled armed forces met Erdogan at his presidential palace in Ankara.
Ninety-nine colonels have been promoted to generals and admirals, although the chief of staff, General Hulusi Akar — who was held hostage during the coup attempt — stayed in his post along with the heads of the navy, land and air forces.
Turkey insisted its military would keep up the fight against Islamic State jihadists and other militants, saying the armed forces would emerge stronger from the crackdown.
“When we weed them (pro-Gulenist elements) out, our army will first of all be more dynamic, cleaner and more effective,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, dismissing concerns that the forces would be weakened.
Meanwhile, the probe into coup plotters shifted focus to the financing of Gulen’s activities in Turkey, with what appeared to be the first major arrests targeting the business world.
Security forces in the central city of Kayseri detained the chairman of the family-owned Boydak Holding company, Mustafa Boydak, and two other top executives, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.
He and the two other executives — Sukru and Halit Boydak — were detained at their homes.
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