Intel chief can’t say why he failed to answer on coup night: Turkish PM

“I asked this to the head of National Intelligence Organization. I said ‘How can this happen?’ The prime minister and the president do not know [about the coup attempt]. OK, it is very natural that the chief of General Staff has information, but you also have to tell the prime minister because you are responsible and bound to him. Of course, he could not answer and could not say anything,” Yıldırım said in an interview with CNN Türk Ankara representative Hande Fırat on CNN Türk late on Aug. 2.

The premier also said questions about whether Fidan would retain his post were not the priority at the moment.

“I sincerely say that for us, there is priority and significance in the work. We have returned from the edge of a huge disaster and there is a lot of work that we have to do right now on the issue. After we have done that, we will surely do self-criticism as to where and what was done wrong and what the bureaucracy did wrong,” Yıldırım said, noting that it would be wrong to drop one’s guard while the threats were still present.

He also added that the issue of bringing the intelligence organization under the presidency’s control was on the agenda, saying there was “clearly something out of order about the intelligence service.”

Yıldırım said he learned about the start of the coup attempt from his bodyguards, citizens, friends and relatives.

In addition, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also said that he first learned about the coup attempt from his brother-in-law, not the intelligence services.