Main opposition CHP says government knew but failed to stop coup

ANKARA

Last year’s failed coup attempt was a “controlled coup,” which was foreseen, not prevented and benefitted from, a report prepared by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has said. 

“The facts that emerged after the treacherous coup attempt, which began on the evening of July 15, 2016, and thwarted on July 16, 2016, revealed that this attempt was a controlled one that was foreseen, not prevented and benefited from,” said the 307-page report prepared by CHP lawmakers as a response to a draft report written by a parliamentary committee set up to investigate the attempted takeover. 

“The facts that emerged after the treacherous coup attempt on July 15 revealed that the shocking and horrific attempt that occurred on July 15 had long been known, expected and viewed as an opportunity to achieve an ultimate goal,” it added. 

Referring to previous articles written by daily Türkiye columnist Fuat Uğur on March 24, April 2 and April 21, 2016, which said there were some activities within the Turkish Army Forces (TSK) working on a possible coup, the CHP report stated that an imminent coup should have been known to the National Intelligence Organization (MİT).

The CHP insinuated that the coup was known to the intelligence agency. “The stories shared by writers like Fuat Uğur months before the coup attempt are clear information for MİT and it is unbelievable that MİT was not informed about the things that Fuat Uğur knew,” it said. 

Detailing previous prosecutors’ indictments about the coup attempt, the report claimed that the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ) had begun preparing for the coup in the last months of 2015. 

“The preparations were undergone by Adil Öksüz, Kemal Batmaz, Hakan Çiçek, Nurettin Oruç and Harun Biniş,” it said, stating that the names were known to MİT to have an affiliation to the group. 

“MİT previously shared notes about a possible coup by FETÖ with external authorities but could not reach a conclusion on a date as it cannot collect intelligence from TSK,” it added. 


‘Not prevented’

The CHP report said the coup attempt was not prevented despite a meeting between MİT Chief Hakan Fidan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar for six hours on July 14, a day before the coup attempt. 

It added that statements from a helicopter pilot, identified only as Major O.K., who said he was given an assignment on July 15 to “kidnap MİT undersecretary with a helicopter” and went to the intelligence headquarters to report the assignment on July 15 afternoon, was evidence that was not taken into consideration. 

The CHP accused the authorities of negligence, adding that the coup of July 15 was going to be written as one that was not prevented. 

It also accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of taking advantage of the situation by using the state of emergency arbitrarily in a bid to consolidate its power and implement a presidential system. 

“The state of emergency decrees were instrumental in establishing an oppression in order to gather the authorities related to the state administration in one hand and keep Erdoğan’s one-man regime alive, rather than a purge as a fight against FETÖ,” the report read.  


Saying controlled coup is a support to putschists: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş, however, said the main opposition party’s comments could be regarded as support to the coup-plotters.

“To utter the words ‘controlled coup attempt’ is the biggest support to the July 15 putschists,” Kurtulmuş said on June 12 after a cabinet meeting. 

“We hope that the lawsuits will be finalized, and if there is a political leg, it will be revealed and go public,” Kurtulmuş added.