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WhatReallyHappenedinTurkey

onJuly15,2016?

AnAlternativetotheTurkishGovernmentNarrative

ByAllianceforSharedValuesNewYork,NY

20July2017

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AbouttheAllianceforSharedValuesInspiredbytheworkofMr.FethullahGulen,theAllianceforSharedValuesisanumbrellanon-profitorganizationservingasavoiceforcivic,cultureandserviceorganizationsaroundtheU.Sdedicatedtopromotingcommunityservice,educationandinterfaithdialogue.TheAlliance’smemberorganizationsarefoundedbyindividualswhoareparticipantsintheHizmetsocialinitiative.TheAllianceworkswithpeopleandorganizationsofallbackgroundsandfaithstopromotegreaterunderstanding,cooperateonmeaningfulprojects,andbuildstrongerbonds.AboutHizmetBeginningasagrassrootscommunityinTurkeyinthe1970s,Hizmettodayisatransnationalsocialinitiativethatadvocatesfortheidealsofhumanrights,equalopportunity,democracy,non-violenceandtheemphaticacceptanceofreligiousandculturaldiversity.Hizmet’sculturallyandreligiouslydiversesupportersareinspiredbythelifeandworksofFethullahGulen,oneoftheworld’smostimportantMuslimfiguresforhisdecades-longcommitmenttointerfaithtoleranceandaltruism.Hizmetparticipantsbringstolifetheseidealsbypromotingphilanthropyandcommunityservice,investingineducationforcultivatingvirtuousindividuals,andpromotinginterculturalandinterfaithdialogueforpeacefulcoexistence.Thispaperwillbeupdatedasnewinformationbecomesavailable.AnearlierversionfromJuly18,2017,underthetitle“WasJuly15Erdogan’sReichstagFire?”includedmaterialfrominappropriatepoliticalsourcesthathavebeenremoved.TheAllianceforSharedValuesregretstheerror.

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ToplineTakeawaysOnJuly15,2016,Turkeyexperiencedahorrificevent.TheTurkishparliamentwasbombedandhundredsofsoldiersandcivilianslosttheirlives.Thiscoupattemptappearedtohavebeenplannedandexecutedwithremarkableincompetenceandwascrushedquickly.Ayearlater,thefailedcouphasbeenusedasapretexttolaunchanunprecedentedcrackdownonPresidentRecepTayyipErdogan’spoliticalopponentsandthefreepress,clearingthewayforthepresidenttoconsolidatepowerandensurehisplaceasTurkey’sleaderforyearstocome.Attheone-yearanniversaryofthisincident,manyquestionsremainunansweredwhileastateofemergencyremainsinplaceandthegovernment’sviciouspersecutionofpoliticaloppositionandthemediarageson.Thisdocumentwillexamine:

• TheErdogangovernment’songoingpurgesandcrackdowninTurkey,whichwereinitiatedwithsurprisingspeedandefficiency,andhavethusfarledtothearrestsofmorethan50,000peopleandthedismissalofnearly140,000others.Additionally,some234journalistshavebeenarrestedand149mediaoutletshavebeenshutteredbygovernmentdecree.ThestateofemergencyinitiallydeclaredbyPresidentErdoganhasbeenextendedseveraltimesandremainsinplaceoneyearafterthefailedcoup.

• TheErdogangovernment’srushtoblamethecouponFethullahGulen,despiteofferingnocredibleevidencetosupportthisclaim.WhileMr.Gulenhasdeniedanyinvolvementwiththecoup,andhaspubliclycondemneditanditsparticipants,theTurkishgovernmenthaslaunchedacoordinatedandconcertedefforttodefameGulenandholdhimresponsible.Meanwhile,severalreportsfromintelligenceagencieswithintheEuropeanUnionhavedebunkedtheallegationthatMr.Gulenorchestratedtheattemptedputsch.Inaddition,severalleadingUSintelligenceofficialshavepubliclychallengedtheideathatGulenwasbehindtheattempt.

• ThegrowingnumberofinconsistenciesinthenarrativeputforwardbyErdoganandseniorTurkishofficialsinthegovernment,militaryandintelligenceapparatus.Publicly,Erdoganhasofferedconflictingexplanationsaboutwhenandhowhebecameawareofthecoupattempt.What’smore,questionsaboundaboutwho,whenandhowofficialswithinthegovernmentweretippedoffabouttheputsch.

• Conflictingevidenceandtestimonyregardinghowordersfrommilitaryofficersweredeliveredandwhichindividualsmayhavehadforeknowledgethatacoupattemptwasintheworks.

• AlternativenarrativesthatmightexplainwhatreallyhappenedonJuly15.

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IntroductionOnJuly15,2016,Turkeyexperiencedahorrific,unsuccessfulcoupattempt.TheTurkishparliamentwasbombedandhundredsofsoldiersandcivilianslosttheirlives.Thecoupattemptappearedtohavebeenplannedwithremarkableincompetenceandwascrushedquickly.PresidentRecepTayyipErdoganwasnotharmedthankstothe1starmyinIstanbulwhosecommanderremainedloyaltohim.Inthedaysfollowingtheincident,theErdogangovernmentdeclaredastateofemergencyandbeganamassivepurgeofallegedsympathizersoftheIslamicscholarandpreacherFethullahGulen.ItquicklybecameclearthatthearrestsofthebulkofmilitaryofficerswereunrelatedtowhethertheyparticipatedintheeventsofJuly15.Thearrestedcommandershadcollectively200,000membersoftheTurkisharmyundertheircommand.Thearrestedairbasecommandershadmorethan200fighterjetsundertheircommand.Iftheytrulyintendedit,thesecommanderscouldhaveexecutedaneffectivemilitarycoup.Butthepurgesandarrestswentfarbeyondthemembersofthemilitary.AccordingtoTurkeyPurge.com,asitethattracksthevictimsofthepurge,atlastcount138,148peopleweresacked,including8,271academics.Ofjudgesandprosecutors,4,424weredismissedandaround3,000werearrested,and2,745oftheseweredismissedonJuly16,2016.TheattackonTurkey’smediaincluded149mediaoutletsshutdownand234journalistsarrested1.Intotal,108,258peopleweredetained,ofwhom53,668werearrestedasofthiswriting.LiterallyallHizmet-affiliatedinstitutionswereshutdown.ThecategoriesandnumbersofinstitutionsshutdownbyErdogangivesagoodsummaryoftheareasinwhichtheHizmetmovementhasbeenactiveduringthefivedecadespriorto2016:2,099educationalinstitutionswereshutdown,includinghundredsofprivateK-12schoolsand15universities.Theseclosuresforced128,000studentstorelocatetootherschools,sometimesfacingbullyingandotherformsofabusesintheirnewschools.ManyoftheHizmet-affiliatedschoolsknownfortheirsecularcurriculumandsuccessinscienceeducationwereconvertedintoreligiousschools.Thirty-fivehospitalswereshutdown,resultinginhundredsofdoctorsandnurseslosingtheirjobsandpatientshavingtobetransferredtootherhospitals.ThehumanitarianrelieforganizationKimseYokMu,whichhelpedthevictimsofeverymajordisasteraroundtheworld,withanannualbudgetofaround$50million,wasalsoshutdown.IntellectualorganizationssuchastheFoundationofJournalistsandWriters,apioneeronrekindlingthespiritofinterfaithdialogueandrespectinthemid-1990swasclosed.Professionalorganizationswiththousandsofmembersfromamongphysicians,healthcareprofessionals,teachers,andengineerswerenotonlyshutdown,butmembershipintheseassociationswerelaterusedincourtsasevidenceof“membershipinaterroristorganization.”AmongthetargetsofthepurgesweretheorganizersoftheInternationalFestivalofLanguageandCulture2whichbroughttogetherstudentsfrommorethan150countriesineventsdedicatedtothecelebrationoflinguisticandartisticdiversityintheworldandtothepromotionofglobalhumansolidarity.HavingbeenbannedinTurkey,theorganizationrelocatedtotheUnitedStatesandhasbeenorganizingsmaller-scaleeventsinseveralcountriessincethen3.AmnestyInternational4,HumanRightsWatch5andtheUnitedNations’SpecialRapporteuronTorture6reportedstrongevidenceofsystematicandwidespreadtortureindetentioncentersandprisons.

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HumanRightsWatchreportedthatthestateofemergencythatwasauthorizedonJuly20resultedindenialsofdueprocessrightstodetaineesandencouragedbothwrongfuldetentionsandinhumanetreatmentofdetainees7.TheNewYorkTimesreportedthatduetoitsscaleandcruelty,analystscomparedErdogan’scrackdownwith“JosephMcCarthy’sAnti-Communistwitch-huntinthe1950sAmerica,theStalinistpurgesofthe1930sandtheCulturalRevolutioninChinainthe1960sand’70s”8.SomeanalystsconsideredthepurgesasanunravelingofErdogan’s“innerStalin”9.ThevariouscategoriesofhumanrightsabusescommittedunderthestateofemergencyaresummarizedinExhibitA.ThefailedcoupattemptprovidedErdoganwithanexcellentexcusetoconsolidatehispower.Inadditiontopurgingmorethan6,000membersoftheTurkishmilitary,Erdoganalsochangedthemilitary’srecruitment,reportingandeducationstructures.Initswake,hereignitedtheideaofanexecutivepresidency,andhesecuredanarrowvictoryinaconstitutionalreferenduminApril2017—despitemanyreportedelectoralirregularities—toopenhispathtobecomingtheexecutivepresidentofTurkeyin2019.Erdogan’sGovernment’sNarrativeandtheResponsesbyWesternGovernmentsPresidentErdogan,speakingonnationalTVaroundmidnightthatfatefulday,immediatelyblamedFethullahGulen,aretiredpreacherandavocalErdogancriticwhohasbeenlivinginPennsylvaniasince1999,tobethemastermindoftheJuly15incident.Gulencondemnedtheattemptwhileitwasinprogress10andrepeatedlydeniedanyinvolvement11(ExhibitB).HechallengedtheErdogangovernmenttoallowforaninternationalinvestigationintotheevent12(ExhibitC).Gulenpledgedtoabidebyitsruling,andiffoundguilty—evenbasedonfalsetestimony—promisedtobuyhisowntickettoTurkey.Erdogandidnotrespondtothiscall.TheErdogangovernment’sunprovennarrativeaboutwhathappenedonJuly15thisthefollowing:Gulen-affiliatedofficersintheTurkishmilitarywerealarmedbythenewsofanimpendingpurgeattheAugustmeetingoftheMilitary’sSupremeCouncil.Inordertopre-emptsuchamoveandtotakeovertheTurkishstate,theyplannedacouptostartat3aminthemorningofJuly16th.However,theirplanwasdiscoveredandtheyhadtostartearlyintheeveningofJuly15th,whichledtoitbeinghastilyarrangedandultimatelyfailing.Westerngovernments,intelligenceservicesandobserversdidnotacceptErdogan’snarrativeofJuly1513.Inparticular:

1. Then-U.S.SecretaryofStateJohnKerryMr.KerrysaidtheTurkishgovernment,aspartoftheextraditionprocess,mustprovideevidencelinkingGulentotheincidentthatwithstandsscrutinyinanAmericancourt14.Asofthiswriting,approximatelyoneyearaftertheincident,thereisnoconfirmationfromtheU.S.DepartmentofJusticethattheTurkishgovernmenthassubmittedevidencethatmeetsthiscriteria.

2. JamesClapper,then-directorofU.S.NationalIntelligence,whenhewasaskedwhethertheTurkishgovernment’sallegationsthatclericFethullahGulenwasbehindtheattemptpassedthe“smelltest”ofcredibility:“No.Nottome.”AsreportedbyTheWashingtonPost,ClapperalsosaidthatSecretaryKerrywasrighttopresstheTurkishgovernmenttobackupitsextraditionrequestwithevidenceofGulen’sinvolvement.Clapperadded,“Wehaven’tseenityet.Wecertainlyhaven’tseenitinintel.”15

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3. WhenaskedbyDerSpiegel,whetherGulenwasbehindthecoupasclaimedbyErdogan,BrunoKahl,HeadofGermany’sBDNForeignIntelligenceAgencyresponded,"Turkeyhastriedtoconvinceusofthatateverylevelbutsofarithasnotsucceeded"16.

4. TheEuropeanUnionIntelligenceCenter(INTCEN)reportontheincidentcontradictedtheTurkishgovernment’sclaimthatGülenwasbehindtheplottooverthrowtheTurkishgovernment.ThereportconcludedthatthecoupwasmountedbyarangeofopponentstoErdoganandhisrulingAKParty.ThereportfounditunlikelythatGulenhimselfplayedaroleintheattempt,accordingtotheTimesofLondon,andErdogan’spurgeswereplannedwellbeforetheincident17.

5. AreportbytheForeignAffairsCommitteeoftheBritishParliamentonU.K.-Turkishrelationsstatedthatthe“U.K.governmentdoesnothaveanyevidencethatU.S.-basedclericFethullahGulenorganizedTurkey'sJulycoupattempt.”1819(PleaseseeAppendixCfortherelevantexcerptfromthereport.)

WhytheTurkishGovernmentNarrativewasnotFoundCrediblebytheWestObserversnotedthattherewasabiggapbetweentheperspectivesoftheWesterngovernmentsandtheTurkishgovernmentnarrativeofJuly1520.Theprimaryreasons:

1. First,thegovernmentbeganpurgingthousandsofmembersofthemilitaryandthejudiciaryonJuly16.WesternobserversnotedthatitwouldbeimpossiblefortheTurkishgovernmenttoidentifythoseresponsiblefortheincidentonsuchshortnotice.Itwasclearthatthepurgelistswerepreparedwellinadvance21.AfailedcoupattemptthatallowedErdogantoeliminateperceivedcriticsenmasseappearedtooconvenientforErdogantobetrue22.

2. ThesecondreasonwastheTurkishgovernment’sfailuretoprovideconcreteevidencelinkingGulentotheincident23.Thefewtestimoniesextractedfromofficerswho“confessed”theirlinkstotheHizmetmovementwerenotfoundcrediblebecause,ironically,pro-governmentmediachannelsairedphotosofthosesameofficersshowingclearsignsofhavingbeentortured(ExhibitD).Moreimportantly,noneoftheofficersclaimedtohavereceivedordersfromacivilianoranybodyotherthantheircommandersortheGeneralStaffHeadquarters.

3. Finally,Erdogan’sownnarrativehadself-contradictions.ErdoganclaimedthatneitherhenorhisintelligenceserviceknewanythingaboutthecoupattemptupuntilthedayofJuly1524.Westernobserversfounditinconceivablethataneventofthismagnitude,whichwouldrequireweeks—ifnotmonths—ofpreparation,couldbeorchestratedfromanothercontinentandnotbediscoveredbyTurkishIntelligenceandahostofotherintelligenceagencies.Erdoganclaimedtohavelearnedabouttheeventnotfromhisintelligenceservicebutfromhisbrother-in-law,givingthreedifferenttimesastowhenthathappened(ExhibitE).Yet,hedidnotdismisstheDirectorofNationalIntelligence(MIT)HakanFidanwho,perhisownstory,failedtoinformorprotecthimafterreceivingatipfromaninformantontheafternoonofJuly1525.Similarly,thechiefofgeneralstaffwasnotdismisseddespitehavingfailedtostoptheincident,orprotecthisoffice,afterbeingalertedtoitseveralhoursbeforehand.

SomeobserversofferedthefollowingtworeasonsforwhyGulencouldnothaveorganizedthecoupattempt:

• First,startingintheearly1990s,Hizmetmovementparticipantshavesetupschools,hospitals,medicalclinics,andothercivicinstitutionsaroundtheworld.Itisestimatedthattherearemorethan500schoolcampusesaloneinmorethan150countries.Acoupattemptorchestratedby

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Gulen,ifsuccessful,wouldsendanalarmingmessagetoworldleadersandspelltheendofthemovementaroundtheworld.AllothergovernmentswouldbegintoseeGulen-sympathizersasathreatandquicklyshutdowntheirinstitutionsandexpeltheirpersonnel.Itdoesn’tmakesensetosacrificehundredsofinstitutions,collectivelyworthmillionsofdollars,andreputationsbuiltthroughdecadesofworkforthesakeofpoliticalpowerinTurkey26.

• Second,thetopbrassofTurkishmilitaryconsistofsympathizersoftheideologyofthefounder

ofTurkishRepublicMustafaKemalAtaturk,knownasKemalists.TherehasneverbeenacredibleallegationthatthetopcommandershadanyGulen-sympathizersamongthem27.Infact,none,includingthechiefofgeneralstaff,secondchief,forcecommandersorarmycorpscommandershasbeenaccusedofbeingaGulensympathizer.Inaninformationage,itisimpossibleformid-levelofficerstostageacoupwithouttheknowledgeandapprovalofthetopcommanders.Iftheydid,therewouldbestrongreactionfromwithinthemilitaryitself.Onthenightofthecoup,therewasverylittlereactionfromwithinthemilitaryitself.MostoftheresistancetotheattemptwasbythepoliceandtheTurkishpeople.

AddingtothesuspicionsaboutthegovernmentnarrativewastheErdogangovernment’sapparentunwillingnesstofullyinvestigatetheincident.TheparliamentaryinvestigatorycommissionwasdelayedbecausetherulingAKPpartywasslowtoappointmemberstothecommission.Onceformed,thecommission28,dominatedbyAKPmembers,refusedtocallkeywitnessesfortestimony29,suchasthechiefofnationalintelligenceandthemilitary’schiefofgeneralstaff30.MithatSancar,anoppositionmemberofthecommissionsaidthefollowing:

TherulingAKPdidnotformthiscommissiontoilluminatethecoupattempt.Theyconstructedacoupnarrative.TherulingAKPhasanarrativeaboutthecoupattempt.Theywereexpecting(thiscommissiontoproduce)aworkthatwouldsupportthisnarrative….

Onlyinformationorrumorsthatsupportthegovernmentnarrativehavebeendisseminated,andallotherinformationthatpointstootherscenarioshasbeencensoredbygovernmentauthoritiesandacompliantmedia.Scoresoflawyershavebeenarrested,andattorney-clientprivilegehasbeenrevokedunderastateofemergency,leavingtheaccusedindividualsunabletodefendthemselvesthroughdueprocess.Belowweprovideanarrativebasedontheinformationavailablefrompublicsourcesandreceivedinpersonalcommunicationswiththelawyers,relativesorfriendsofindividualsaccusedbytheTurkishgovernment.TheaimofthisdocumentisnottomakeadefiniteclaimaboutwhathappenedonJuly15,2016,buttoraisequestionsaboutthegovernmentnarrativeandprovideanalternativethatdeservestobeconsideredaspartofanindependentinvestigation.OtherNarrativesaboutJuly15SeveralnarrativeshavebeenproposedbyTurkeyobserversaboutwhathappenedonJuly15,2016,insteadoftheErdogangovernment’snarrative.ExcerptsfromanumberofcommentatorsofdiversepoliticalorientationsquestioningthegovernmentnarrativeandsometimessuggestinganalternativeareprovidedinAppendixB.Wewilldiscusstwosuchnarratives,the“BroadCoalitionNarrative”becauseitistheprevalentviewamongindependentTurkeyexpertsandthe“CollusionNarrative”becauseithasthemostexplanatorypower,aswillbedetailedbelow.

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BroadCoalitionNarrativeTheprevalentviewamongTurkeyobserversinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesisthefollowing31:Abroad-basedcoalitionofofficersinthemilitaryhasbeendiscussinganinterventionagainsttheErdogangovernment.TheybelievedErdoganunderminedtheTurkishstate’sdemocraticinstitutionsandsecularism.Thiscoalitionincluded,butwasnotlimitedto,militaryofficerswhofearedbeingpurgedattheAugustmeetingoftheMilitarySupremeCouncil.TheyplannedacoupwiththeintentionofremovingErdoganandrestoringTurkishdemocracyandsecularism.AninformantalertedTurkishIntelligencetotheplanduringtheafternoonofJuly15,forcingsomeofficerstostarttheactionearly.However,manyofficersgaveupandrefrainedfromparticipating,andhencetheeffortfailed.PartoftheevidenceforthebroadcoalitionnarrativeisthefactthatamongtheofficersarrestedafterJuly15,thereweremanyknownasKemalists.Ironically,theemergingdeclarationsbypro-ErdoganpoliticalcommentatorsandAKPmembersalsosupportedthebroadcoalitionnarrative.Forexample,JusticeMinisterBekirBozdag32andpro-ErdogancommentatorsCemKucukandRasimOzanKutahyali,amongothers,suggestedthattherewerenon-Gulen-affiliatedgroupswithintheTurkishmilitarythatweresupportiveofamilitaryinterventionagainsttheErdogangovernment33.ThebroadcoalitionnarrativeprovidesvaluableinsightsintotheeventsofJuly15andhelpsexplainsomeofthequestions,suchastheapparentambivalenceandconfusionofcommanderswhoareknowntobeKemalistsatthenewsofamilitarycoupaswellasthelackofasignificantresponsefromwithinthemilitaryagainsttheattempt.However,thebroadcoalitionnarrativedoesnotsufficientlyanswermanyotherquestionsaswillbedetailedbelow.CollusionNarrativeAbroad-basedcoalitionofmilitaryofficerswereErdogandetractors.TheybelievedErdoganunderminedtheTurkishstate’sdemocraticinstitutions.Theyhavebeendiscussingapotentialmilitarycoupformonths.TurkishNationalIntelligenceService(MIT)andErdoganwereawareofthesediscussions.Anultra-nationalist,orneo-nationalist(ulusalciinTurkish),factionamongthemilitaryassociatedwiththeEurasian-orientedHomelandpartycolludedwithErdoganandtheIntelligenceServicetostageapre-emptivecouponJuly15.ThecollusionnarrativesuggeststhattheincidentonJuly15wasamobilizationofaverysmallportionofthemilitary,aweakandcompromisedactiondesignedtofailbybeingcrushedbythepoliceforceandangrycrowds.Accordingtothisnarrative,July15thwas—borrowingthelanguageofapoliticalcommentatorwhodoesnotnecessarilyendorsethisview—agenuineplanthatwascompromisedandweakened,andallowedbyPresidentErdogantoplayoutinordertocrushitandachievehisstrategicgoals34.

WhathappenedonJuly15,2016,doesnotmatchthepatternofacoupplannedbythemilitary,butratheroneplannedbytheintelligenceservicewheremilitaryofficersunwittinglyplayedcrucialroles.BelowwewillgiveamoredetailedaccountoftheCollusionNarrative.

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The“CollusionNarrative”ofJuly15thStartinginthefallof2015,abroadbaseoftop-levelandmiddle-levelcommandersintheTurkishmilitaryallegedlyheldmeetingsdiscussingamilitaryinterventioninordertostopErdoganfrombecominganelectedautocrat,andtohelpreviveTurkishdemocracy.Duringthelastfewmonthsof2015andthroughoutthespringof2016,therewerewidespreadrumors,numerousarticlesandclaimsinthedomesticandforeignmediaofanimpendingmilitarycoup.TherumorsofabrewingcoupreachedsuchalevelthattheTurkishgeneralstafffeltcompelledtoissueanunprecedentedstatementonMarch31,2016,refutingtheallegations35.InDecember2015,adelegationofpro-EurasianHomelandParty(VatanPartyinTurkish),formerlyknownasWorkersParty,headedbyMr.DoguPerincekvisitedMoscow36.TheHomelandPartymembersinthisdelegationwereret.Gen.IsmailHakkiPekin,formerdirectorofMilitaryIntelligence,ret.Adm.SonerPolatandret.Gen.BeyazitKaratas.TheHomelandPartydelegationmet,amongothers,withAlexanderDugin,aRussianultra-nationalistknownforhisEurasianistviewsandKonstantinMalofeev,“amultimillionairewithtiestotheRussianOrthodoxChurch”whoisalsounderEuropeanUnionandU.S.sanctionsforfinancingillegalmilitarygroupsinEasternUkraine3738.Thedelegationexpressedconcernsaboutaloomingpro-Americancoup39andencouragedRussianleadershiptorepairtheirrelationshipwithErdogan.StatementsbyAlexanderDuginandKonstantinMalofeevaboutthisvisitareavailableonYouTube40.PerincekhasbeenavocalcriticofErdoganforyears,andhewasimprisonedaspartoftheErgenekontrial.Perincek’sHomelandpartyhasaMarxist-MaoistideologythatisdiametricallyopposedtothereligiousleaningsofErdogan’sAKP.However,followingthe2013corruptionprobe,ErdogandecidedtobringthejudiciaryunderhiscontrolandreplaceallGulen-sympathizerswithinthejudiciary.LackingsignificantnumberofqualifiedsupporterstoreplacetheallegedGulen-sympathizers,ErdoganmadeapactwithPerincek.InOctober2014,intheelectionstotheSupremeCouncilofJudgesandProsecutors,bothleaderssupportedagroupcalled“UnityinJudiciaryPlatform”41.WhenthecandidatesofthisgroupwonthemajorityoftheseatsintheCouncil,bothleaderswerejoyous.ThisallianceandvictorygaveErdoganthepowertoinfluencethejudgeandprosecutorappointments,turningtheTurkishjudiciaryintoapoliticalinstrumentfortargetinghiscritics.Aftertheestablishmentofthealliance,Perincekwasnolongertargetedbyprosecutors,andhesurprisedeverybodybyspeakingoftheneedtokeepErdoganinpowersothatTurkeycanresisttheUnitedStates.42ThelossofjudicialindependenceinTurkeyhasbeennotedbytheU.S.DepartmentofState’sannualHumanRightsReport43,HumanRightsWatch44,AmnestyInternational45,theEuropeanUnion’sprogressreportfornegotiationswithTurkey46andtheInternationalCommissionofJurists47,amongothers.Gen.IsmailHakkiPekinlaterbecameoneoftheintervieweesofavideodocumentarytopromotetheErdogangovernment’snarrativeaboutGulenintheUnitedStates.48TheprojectwaspartofanagreementbetweenformerMichaelFlynn—laterPresidentDonaldTrump’sshort-livednationalsecurityadvisor—andEkimAlptekin,aTurkishbusinessmanwithtiestoErdogangovernment.Alptekin’sfamilyalsohastieswithPerincek’sHomelandParty49.Accordingtonewsreports,AlptekinarrangedforameetingbetweenTurkishForeignMinisterMevlutCavusogluandEnergyMinisterBeratAlbayrak—whoisalsoErdogan’sson-in-law—withFlynninwhichtheTurkishsidewantedtodiscussthepossibilityofremovingGulenfromtheUnitedStatesandtakinghimtoTurkey50.

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Erdoganwasawareoftheserumorsandtheallegeddiscussionsofacoup.Itis,ofcourse,inconceivablethatwhentherumorsaboutaloomingcoupreachedevenpoliticians,Erdoganwouldnotbecomeawareandnothaveitinvestigatedbyhisintelligenceservice.Moreconcretely,aftertheirvisittoMoscow,theHomelandPartyarrangedavisitbyAlexanderDuginalongwithaRussiandelegationtoTurkeyinMarch2016,duringwhichtheymetwithAKPofficialsandErdogan’srelatives.ItisreasonabletoassumethatinadditiontodiscussionsaboutrepairingtherelationshipwithRussia,theydiscussedmeasuresagainsttheimpendingcoup,whichtheyclaimedwouldbe“pro-American.”ItisnotclearwhethertherewereothervisitsbyAlexanderDugin,butonJuly15,2016,hewasinAnkara51.

Figure1AlexanderDuginmeetingwithDoguPerincek,headofHomelandPartyandmembersincludingret.Gen.IsmailHakkiPekin,formerheadofMilitaryIntelligenceinTurkey.

ItisanopensecretthattheHomelandPartyhassignificantpresenceinthestate’ssecurityandintelligenceservices52.Theso-called“Eurasianistclique”withintheTurkishmilitary53wasdescribedina2003leakedcablebyU.S.EmbassyinAnkaraaspursuingEurasianismasanalternativetotheU.S.“withoutunderstandingtheRussia-dominatednatureofthe‘Eurasia’concept”.In2003,thepro-U.S.andpro-NATOgroupcalledthe“Atlanticists”wereseenaslosinginfluencewithintheTurkishGeneralStaff.Perincek’sHomelandPartyisfavoriteamongretiredhigh-rankingmilitaryofficers.Perincek’sdeputyisretiredCol.HasanAtillaUgur.PartyleaderPerinceksaidonanumberofoccasionsthatthepartyis“stronginthemilitary,inthejudiciary”.Otherex-militarymembersofthepartyincluderet.Gen.HasanKundakciandtheaforementionedret.Gen.IsmailHakkiPekin,theformerheadofTurkishMilitaryIntelligence.PerincekissuedthefollowingmessageuponthedeathofAdmiralAzizCemCakmakwho

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wastriedforparticipationintheSledgehammercoupplot:“WearesendingAdmiralCemCakmak,ourcomradeduringtheSledgehammerandErgenekontrials,tohisfinaljourney54.Inanaudiorecordingdatingto2012andattributedtoAdm.Cakmak,heclaimedthatthankstoanagreementmadebetweentheirsideandErdogan,Gulensympathizerswouldsoonhavetoleavethecountryandwouldnotevenfindwatertodrink55.TheHomelandPartyisalsoknownforitsanti-Americanviews56andoppositiontoTurkey’smembershipinNATO,whichtheylabelasaninstrumentofU.S.imperialism57.AfterJuly15,halfoftheTurkishNATOofficersoftheTurkishmilitarywerepurgedandreplaced.WhenGen.JosephVotel,theheadofU.S.CentralCommandexpressedhisconcernsovertheimpactofthepurgesontherelationshipwiththeirTurkishmilitary,PresidentErdoganscoldedVotelbysaying,“It’snotuptoyoutomakethatdecision.Whoareyou?Knowyourplace!Youaretakingthesideofcoupplottersinsteadofthankingthisstatefordefeatingthecoupattempt.”58Reutersreportedthat149militaryenvoyspostedtothealliance'sheadquartersandcommandcentersinGermany,Belgium,theNetherlandsandBritainwereorderedtoreturntoTurkeywithinthreedaysbasedonaclassifiedmilitarydispatchseenbytheagency59.ItwasclearthatthereasonfortherecallandtheprospectiveindictmentoftheseofficerswasnotparticipationintheincidentofJuly1560.AsanothersignofErdogan’sawarenessofthecoupdiscussions,anarticlepublishedinaPro-ErdoganoutletTurkiyeonApril21,2016,pennedbyFuatUgurthreatenedGulen-sympathizersinthemilitarywiththefollowinglanguage:“Doyouthinkthatourgovernmentisnotawareofyou?Theyarejustwaitingforyoutoact,andtheywillsummarilyexecuteyou.”6162OnthenightofJuly14,2016,NationalIntelligenceChiefFidan,whoisacloseconfidantofErdogan,heldmeetingswithSpecialForcesCommanderAksakalliandChiefofGeneralStaffAkar.Asofthiswriting,thecontentsofthesetwocrucialmeetingsthenightbeforethefailedcoupattempthavenotbeenrevealed.NeitherAkarnorFidanwerecalledtoanswerquestionsbeforetheparliamentaryinvestigationcommittee,andintheirwrittenresponsestothequestionsbythecommittee,neitherofthemreferredtothesemeetings.July15doesnotMatchthePatternofPreviousMilitaryInterventionsinTurkeyMilitaryexpertssuggestthatthepatternofactionsonthenightofJuly15thdonotfitthepatternofamilitarycoupbutratheracoup-likeactionthatisdesignedbyanintelligenceservice.TheJuly15eventlackedcrucialactionsofamilitarycoupandincludedcounterproductiveactionsthatdidnotmakesenseinthatcontext.Crucialmissingpiecesofamilitarycoupincludedpreparingthepublicopinion,startingtheactionaftermidnightduringtheearlyhoursoftheday,securingkeypoliticiansfirst,thensecuringcontrolofmediaoutletsandcommunicationscentersandtheparticipationoflandforces.Inthiscase,theactionsthatactuallyhappeneddon’tmakesenseinamilitarycoup,includingstartingthemobilizationatrushhour,closingabusybridgetotraffic63,bombingtheparliament,bombingpoliceheadquartersandtargetingcivilians.

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PreviousInterventions July15,2016

Publicopinionwaspreparedforanintervention.

Publicopinionwasnotprepared.

Actionstartedaftermidnight,duringtheearlyhoursoftheday.

Actionstartedduringrushhourat9:30pm.

Theleader(s)oftheinterventionwereclearandtheymadepublicdeclarations.

Theleader(s)oftheinterventionwasnotclear.Nopersonmadeapublicdeclaration.Adeclarationbythe“PeaceatHomeCommittee”wasairedonTRTwithoutdisclosingthemembersofthecommittee.

Communicationscentersweresecured. Communicationscenterswerenotsecured.

RadioandTVstationsweresecured. WiththeexceptionofahandfulofsoldierssenttoTRTandCNN-Turk,pro-ErdoganTVchannelswerenotsecured.

LeadpoliticianssuchasPrimeMinisterandInteriorMinisterweredetained.

PresidentErdogan,PMBinaliYildirimandtheInteriorMinisterwerenotdetained.

Themilitarywascarefultoavoidciviliancasualties.

Hundredsofcivilianswerekilled.

Themilitarydidnottargettheparliamentorthepolice.

Parliamentandpoliceheadquarterswerebombed.

WhoMobilizedMilitaryUnitsonJuly15?Inthissection,wewilldiscusswhen,howandbywhommilitaryunitsweremobilizedduringtheeveningofJuly15.ThisisimportantbecausethegovernmentnarrativeclaimsthatofficersassociatedwithGulenstagedthecoupwithdirectivesfromciviliansaffiliatedwithGulen.However,thereisnota

May27,1960

Sep12,1980

July15,2016

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singleofficerwhostatesinhistestimonythatheactedonthenightofJuly15bythedirectivesofacivilian.Activationofmilitaryunitscanbetracedtooneofthethreeprimarysources:

1. OfficeofGen.YasarGuler,theSecondChiefofGeneralStaff.2. OfficeofGen.ZekaiAksakalli,CommanderofSpecialForces.3. Gen.MehmetDisli,DirectorofStrategicTransformation.

Secondarysourcesofmobilization,suchasColonelCemilTurhan,Gen.MehmetPartigocandGen.IlhanTalu,whowereondutyattheheadquartersofthegeneralstaffthatnightclaimedthattheysimplyfollowedtheorderstheyreceivedfromtheprimarysources,and/orwerethreatenedbythepro-coupofficers.Inadditiontothemilitaryunitsmobilizedtoperformtheirdutiesundermartiallaw,manyunitsweremobilizedunderthepretenseofoneofthefollowing64:

• Participationinaregularexercise• Participationinaneducationalexercise• Participationinan“unconventionalexercise”• Participationinanoperationtoprotectgeneralstaffheadquarters• Protectionofamilitaryorciviliancompoundfromaterroristattack

SpecialForcesUnitsWereOrderedtoParticipateinan“UnconventionalExercise”DuringthedaysleadingtoJuly15,agroupofofficersfromspecialforcesweregivenorderstoparticipateinan“unconventionalexercise.”Thegoalofthisexercisewasdescribedasprotectingthegeneralstaffheadquartersagainstaterroristattack.However,theunitswhofulfilledtheirordersonthenightofJuly15werelaterarrestedascoupplotters.Col.FiratAlakus,onethespecialforcescommandersarrestedasacoupplotter,saidinhistestimonythathereceivedhisordersfromGen.ZekaiAksakalli,thetopcommanderofthespecialforces.Otherofficersclaimedthataplanecarryingtheallegedpro-coupcommanderGen.SemihTerziwasallowedtoflydespitethegeneralbanonmilitaryflightsbyAksakalli’scloseaideCol.UmitTatan,commanderofEtiMesgutSpecialForcesAirCommand.Col.UmitBakofspecialforcesstatedthatGen.AksakallitoldhimtoallowonlyGen.SemihTerzitospecialforcesheadquartersthatnight65.Terziwaskilledbyalowerrankingofficeronceinsidethespecialforcesheadquartersthatnight.Aksakallideniedtheclaimsagainsthimandwasnevercharged.Instead,hewasgiventhetaskofcommandingtheTurkishMilitaryunitsthatstagedtheFiratShieldOperation.Theordersforspecialforcesunitstoparticipateinan“UnconventionalExercise”wereissuedstartingonJuly11byCol.Bak,whoclaimedthathereceivedhisordersfromGen.Aksakalli,thecommanderofspecialforces.Gen.Aksakalliclaimedtheorderswereissuedwithouthisknowledgeorapproval.IfCol.BakissuedorderswithoutAksakalli’sapproval,duringthefourdaysfromJuly11toJuly15anofficerwhoreceivedtheorderscouldeasilyhavebroughtitupinameetingwithGen.Aksakalli.Inthatcase,ColonelBakwouldfacecourtmartial.Aspreviouslynoted,onJuly14,aconfidentialmeetingwasheldatspecialforcesheadquartersbyGen.HulusiAkar,thechiefofgeneralstaff,HakanFidan,directorofNationalIntelligenceOrganization(MIT)andGen.Aksakalli,commanderofthespecialforces.Aftertheconclusionofthismeeting,Gen.Aksakalli

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andintelligencechiefFidanheldaseparatemeeting.Thecontentsofthesemeetingshaveneverbeenrevealed.OrdersWereIssuedfromtheOfficeofGen.YasarGuler,SecondChiefofGeneralStaffAnothergroupofofficersweremobilizedonJuly15byordersfromtheofficeofSecondChiefofGeneralStaffGen.YasarGuler.Theorderswereissuedbyhisaidedecamp,CaptainMehmetAkkurt,whowaskilledbyanotherofficerthatnight.Gen.Gulerclaimedthathisaidedecampissuedtheseorderswithouthisknowledgeorapproval.IfGuler’sclaimistrue,itisnotclearwhetheranaidedecampatthelevelofcaptaincouldtakesuchanactionwithouttheapprovalofanothersuperiorofficer.TheonlyothertwoofficerswhocouldgivehimsuchanassuranceareGen.HulusiAkar,thechiefofgeneralstaff,andGen.MehmetDisli,whowasknowntobeaclosefriendofGen.HulusiAkar.Certainmilitaryunitsweresentdirectivestomobilizebyofficersondutyatthegeneralstaffheadquarters,suchasGen.MehmetPartigoc,commanderoftheOfficeofGeneralStaffPersonnel,Gen.IlhanTalu,andCol.CemilTurhan.Theseofficersclaimedthattheyfollowedordersfromtheofficeofthesecondchiefofgeneralstafforwerethreatenedbytheputschists.Gen.Gulerclaimedthatafterdiscussingpreventivemeasuresagainstapotentialmilitarycoupwiththechiefofgeneralstaffandintelligencechief,hereturnedtohisdesktocontinue“routinework.”Thequestionremainsunansweredastowhyhewouldreturntoroutineworkagainstthethreatofamilitarycoupinsteadofworkingwiththechiefofgeneralstaffandforcecommandersaroundacrisisdeskuntilthethreatiscompletelyeliminated.Maj.Gen.MehmetDisli,HeadofStrategicTransformationDepartment,MobilizedOfficersManyofficerswhoactedonJuly15wereledbyGen.MehmetDisli,commanderofstrategictransformation66.Gen.DisliisthebrotherofAKPViceChairmanSabanDisli,whoisaclosefriendofErdogan.TheDislifamilyisknowntohaveclosetiestotheErdoganfamilydatingbackdecades.Accordingtoobservers,thisofficewasspeciallycreatedforGen.Disli.OnthenightofJuly15,manyAKPdeputiescalledGen.Dislitofindoutwhatwasgoingon,showingthedegreeoftrustthatexistedbetweenthepartyofficialsandGen.Disli.DisliwaslaterimplicatedbyGen.Akarasacoupplotterandwasarresteddespitedenyingchargesagainsthim.PilotsMisledandThreatenedPilotswhowerenotondutyandweresimplyspendingtimewiththeirfamiliesweresummonedtotheirairbasestoostensiblydefendagainstamajorterroristattack67.Pilotswerethreatenedatgunpointandwiththreatstotheirfamiliestodropbombsattheparliamentandthepoliceheadquarters.Thegovernment’sexplanationforthebombingoftheparliamenthasamajorself-contradiction:TheputschistsweresoangryatthegovernmentthattheybombedtheparliamentbuildingbutsomehowmissedErdogan’smassivepresidentialpalacedespitethestateoftheartmilitaryaircraftandprecisionbombsundertheirdisposal.StudentsofAirWarCollegeStudentsfromAirWarCollegewereputonbusesandcarriedtotheIstanbulbridgesonthenightofJuly15.Thesestudentswerelaterarrestedforparticipationinacoup.

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ImportantQuestionsAbouttheJuly15IncidentDespiteayearpassingsincetheincident,someaspectsofJuly15havenotbeenexplained,evenwiththeongoingtrialsofallegedpro-coupofficers.ShuttingDownBridgeTrafficShuttingdownIstanbul’sbusyBosphorusbridgetotrafficwasnotonlysenselessasacouptactic,itwascounterproductive.Thisactiondidnothelpachieveanymilitaryobjectiveinanywayandinsteadmadethepublicangry.Themilitaryunitssenttoshutdownthebridgetrafficwereabandonedonthebridgeandfacedlynchingbyangrymobsinthemorning.Gen.UmitDundar,thecommanderofthe1stArmyinIstanbulwhopledgedallegiancetoErdogan,didnotintervenetoremovethemilitaryunitthatoccupiedthebridge.Thatledtociviliansattackingthemilitaryunit,receivingfireandultimatelyseverelybeatingandkillingsomesoldiers.OnthenightofJuly15,asniperallegedlyshotatandkilledciviliansfromatoponeofbridge’spoles.ThesniperhimselfwasshotandkilledbypolicesnipersandthecasewasneverfullyinvestigatedbythegovernmentdespitetheuseofciviliandeathsonthebridgeasanelementofthemediacampaignagainstGulen68.AmongtheciviliansallegedlykilledonthebridgewasErolOlcak,aformerpollsterandcommunicationsconsultantofErdogan,whotweeteddaysbeforetheincidentthatErdoganwaspreparingforahistorictransformationoftheTurkishmilitary69.CivilianDeathsDeliberatelytargetingciviliansduringacoupisunprecedentedinthehistoryofmilitarycoupsinTurkey.Videofootageofthenightrevealsthatsomeofficersandsoldiersweredistressedbythefactthattheywereabandonedbytheircommandersandangrycrowdswereapproachingthem,possiblytolynchthem.Itappearsthatsomeoftheciviliandeathsarearesultoftheactionsofpanickedsoldiers.Itisalsoallegedbyeyewitnessesthatparamilitaryunits,possiblybelongingtotheSADATinternationaldefenseconsultingorganizationstartedbyErdogan,wereresponsibleforsomeoftheciviliandeaths70.Twowitnessesreportedthatindividualsshootingfromblackvansorcarsshotatcivilians71.Anindividualwhoappearslikearadicalreligiousfigurecanbeseeninavideoclaimingthatheisreadytoplayhisrolewithhisweapon72.

MuteberAyabak,motherofayoungmankilledonthenightofJuly15,claimshersonwasshotfrombehindbyindividualsshootingfromablackFordTransitvan.

Witnessclaimingthatcivilianswereshotbyindividuals(possiblypolice)shootingfromablackMiniCooperontheBosphorusbridge.

Dr.NevzatTarhan,psychologicalcounselorforErdogan’sparamilitarySADATforce,statingthatformermembersofmilitaryaffiliatedwithASDER,wereactiveonthenightofJuly15.

AnErdogansupporterwithaguninthemorningofJuly16statingthattheyhaveabattletofight.

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Whileusingtheciviliandeathsasacrucialcomponentoftheirmessagingaroundtheattempt,theErdogangovernmentmadelittleefforttoactuallyilluminatethespecificsofthosedeaths.Ironically,itwastheaccusedmilitaryofficerswhoaskedforforensicexaminationofthefirearmsandbulletsusedbythesoldiersundertheircommandalongwiththeautopsiesofthekilledcivilians.Theserequestswerenotwelcomebytheplaintiffsorjudges73.Thegovernment’srefusaltoinvestigatethesniperontheBosphorusbridge,whoallegedlyshotcivilians,wasalsosuspicious,astheregularunitsthatweresenttothebridgethatnightnormallydonotincludeasniper74.AerialBombingoftheParliamentandPoliceHeadquartersThedamagethattheparliamentbuildingsustainedallegedlyduetoaerialbombingwasoneoftheprimaryelementsofthegovernment’smediacampaigntojustifythesubsequentpurges.IntheearlymorninghoursofJuly16,militaryjetsdroppedbombsatthegardenandanunoccupiedcorneroftheparliamentbuilding,andatthefrontyardofthepresidentialpalace.Althoughtheparliamentbuildingwasdamaged,therewerenocasualtiesandtherewasnoharmdonetoErdogan’spresidentialpalace.BombingtheparliamentisunprecedentedinTurkey’shistoryofcoups.Itisalsonotclearwhythepilots,iftheyweretrulyactingaspartofacoup,mighthavemissedErdogan’senormouspalace.Oneofthepilotswhowereaccusedofbombingtheparliamentbuildingclaimedthathewascalledfromhishomeunderthepretenseofdefendingagainstaterroristattack.Whenhefoundoutthathisbombingtargetwastheparliament,heinitiallyattemptedtoevadetheorderbyjammingthefighterjet’smechanism,buthewascoercedtocarryouttheorder75.Thereareotherproblemswiththegovernment’snarrativeaboutthebombingoftheparliament.Governmentofficialsclaimedthattheparliamentbuildingwasbytwo-stagepenetratingbombsdroppedfromF-16s.Observers,whoclaimtobepurgedNATOofficers,disputedthisclaimandpointedoutthatthevideoimagesandtheimpactoftheexplosionsattheparliamentbuildingmatchthepatternofaninternally-placedbombratherthanapenetratingbombdroppedfromafighterjet76(EXHIBITF).Whencombinedwiththepilots’testimoniesthattheywerethreatenedtobombtheparliament,itispossiblethattheinternallyplacedbombsweredetonatedtoensurethatthebuildingwouldbesufficientlydamagedincasethepilotsrefusedtodirectlytargettheparliament77.TheCrewofaSearch-and-RescueHelicopterWhoSoughtAsyluminGreeceTheeight-personcrewofasearch-and-rescuehelicopter,fromanairbaseinIstanbul,soughtasyluminGreecethemorningofJuly16.Intheirasylumapplication,theofficerssaidtheywerepartofanarmysearch-and-rescueunitwiththreehelicoptersandweretoldbytheircommanderstopickupcasualtiesonthenightofJuly15.However,whentheyapproachedthedesignatedlocationsofthecasualties,theirhelicopter,alongwithtwoothers,receivedfirefromtheground.Theyreturnedtoanearbyarmybasebuttheycouldnotreachtheircommandersasthepolicebrokeintothebaseandstartedshootingatsoldiers.Thecrewofthethreehelicoptersdecidedtore-groupandflytogetherinonehelicoptertoseekasyluminGreecebecausetheythoughttheywouldbechargedwithparticipationinthecoupattemptandwouldnotreceiveafairtrialinTurkey78.Thereareotherreportsofcommandersorderingofficers—insomecasesafterbeingrecalledfromtheirvacation—toperformactionsapparentlyunrelatedtoacouponlytobeabandonedbythesamecommandersandchargedthenextdaywithparticipationintheattempt.

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ContradictionsoftheErdoganCampThestatementsbyPresidentErdoganandhisallies,includingHakanFidan,thedirectorofNationalIntelligenceService(MIT),andthechiefofgeneralstaff,includemanycontradictionsandleavemanyimportantquestionsunanswered.Belowwewillgivesomeexamples.PresidentErdoganPresidentErdoganreportedfourdifferenttimesforwhenhelearnedaboutthecoup.BeforedawnonJuly16,heheldapressconferenceattheIstanbulairport,79wherehesaid,“Asitisknown,therewasactivityinthemilitaryintheafternoon”80.InaninterviewtoCNNonJuly18,hesaidhelearnedabouttheattemptfromhisbrother-in-lawaround8pm81.InaninterviewwithReutersonJuly21,hesaidthetimeofthecallfromhisbrother-in-lawwasbetween4and4:30pm.InaninterviewtoTurkishA-HaberonJuly30,hesaidthathemisrememberedearlierandthecorrecttimewasaround9:30pm(ExhibitE).Inaneventlikeamilitarycoup,Erdoganwouldbetheprimarytargetandhislifewouldbeindanger.Itisdifficulttobelievethathedidnotrememberexactlywhenhefirstlearnedabouttheincident.AlsoapuzzleisErdogan’srefusaltofire,oreveninvestigate,hisintelligencechiefandmilitarychiefdespitetheirfailuretoinformorprotecthim.InaninterviewwithFrance24,whenpressedbythehosttoexplainwhyhedidnotseektheresignationofhisintelligencechief,ErdoganarguedthatthereweresecuritylapsesinotherplacesasinthecaseoftheParisterrorattacks,completelyignoringthefactthataterroristattackbyafewindividualsandamilitarycouparecompletelydifferentevents82.Erdogan’sclaimthathewasfirstinformedabouttheeventbyhisbrother-in-lawaround9:30pmandthathecouldnotreachIntelligenceChiefFidanwascontradictedbyChiefofGeneralStaffAkar.Inhiswrittenstatementtotheparliamentaryinvestigationcommittee,AkarsaidthatIntelligenceChiefFidancalledandspokewiththeheadofErdogan’ssecurityguardduringtheirmeetingbefore8:30pm.InorderforErdogan’saccounttobetrue,wehavetoassumethattheheadofErdogan’ssecurityguarddidnotinformhimdespitebeingaskedabouttheirpreparationsforapossibleattack.QuestionssuchaswhyFidandidnotasktospeakwithErdogan,whyhedidnotspecifythenatureofthethreattotheheadofsecurity,andwhyErdoganclaimedthathecouldnotreachFidanuntil10pmwereneveranswered.Erdoganclaimedthathisairplanewasassaultedbypro-coupfighterjetsbutprotectedbypro-governmentjets.TheGreekAirForcerefutedErdogan’sclaimsthatnosuchairfightoccurred83.ItisalsoinconceivablethatifloadedF-16stargetedErdoganasheclaimed,whywouldtheynotbeabletoshootdownhisplaneorforceittoland?Erdoganclaimedthatpro-coupforcesassaultedhisvacationresidence15minutesafterheleftthelocation,around1or1:30am.However,specialforcesunitsaimingtoarrestErdoganarrivedathisvacationresortaround3-3:30am.ThisbringsupthequestionofwhethertherewasasecondaryassaultatErdogan’svacationresorttwohoursbeforethespecialforcesarrivedthere.PresidentErdogan’sfailuretorespondtoGulen’scallforaninternationalinvestigation,accompaniedbyhispledgetoabidebyitsruling,isalsonoteworthy.AssumingErdoganwassincereabouthisclaim,therewouldbenoreasonfromhisperspectivenottoacceptthischallenge.IfGulenweretobefoundguiltyandfulfilledhispledge,thenthecasewouldbeover.IfGulenweretobefoundguiltybutbackedoutfromhispledge,thenhewouldincriminatehimselfinbothdomesticandworldpublicopinionandjustifysomeofErdogan’spurges.Ofcourse,thecommitteecouldalsodeterminethatGulenwasfalsely

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accused.Furthermore,thecommitteecouldalsowanttoinvestigateotheraspectsoftheJuly15incidentbesidesErdogan’saccusationagainstGulen.WerethesethereasonswhyErdoganrefusedtoacceptGulen’schallenge?Wemightneverknow.HakanFidan,DirectorofNationalIntelligenceOrganization(MIT)IntheafternoonofJuly15,acaptainreferredtoasO.K.informedtheNationalIntelligenceOrganization(MIT)headquartersthatanattackonthebuildingwasplannedtocapturetheMITchief.Thisofficerwasneveridentifiedpublicly,ostensiblytoprotecthim,andlaterdischargedfromthemilitary,ratherthanbeinggivenamedalofhonor.Hewaslaterre-admittedtothemilitaryandwasgivenapositionwithMIT.MITChiefFidansenthisdeputytotheofficeofgeneralstaffat4pmandlaterhimselfmetwiththemilitarychief,Akar,at6pm.AccordingtotheaccountsofPresidentErdoganandPrimeMinisterBinaliYildirim,theintelligencechiefdidnotinformorprotecteitherthepresidentortheprimeminister.Infact,theyclaimedtheycouldnotcommunicatewiththeintelligencechiefuntil10pm.Fidan’saccountoftheeventsofthenightisfullofpuzzlesandcontradictions.AccordingtoGen.Akar’stestimony,FidancalledErdogan’sguardsandaskedthemiftheywerepreparedagainstanattack,withoutspecifyingthenatureorthescaleoftheattackandwithoutaskingtospeakwithErdogan.InsteadofstayingwithGen.Akartoinvestigateandtakeprecautionsagainstapossiblecoup,Fidanleftthegeneralstaffheadquarterstoattendtopre-arrangedmeetings.Gen.UmitDundar,commanderof1starmyinIstanbulGen.UmitDundarpledgedalligeancetoErdoganduringtheearlyhoursoftheattempt,accordingtoBeratAlbayrak,Erdogan’sson-in-law84.Asearlyas12:52am,Dundarconfidentlydeclaredtheattempttobetheworkofasmallfactionwithinthemilitaryandhencedoomedtofail85.HewaslaterdeclaredtheactingchiefofgeneralstaffasthewhereaboutsofGen.Akarwerenotknown.However,duringtheearlyhoursoftheincident,FatihTezcan,afamouspro-Erdoganpoliticalcommentator,labeledUmitDundarasaputschist86.MilitaryexpertsnotethatitisverydifficulttostageacoupinTurkeywithouttheparticipationofthe1starmy.Indeed,thefamousSledgehammermilitarycoupplot,whichresultedinthetrialsofmanyofficers,wasdiscussedattheheadquartersofthe1starmyinIstanbulin2003.Itisunlikelythatamilitaryleadershipwouldconsidercommittingtoacoupwithouttheparticipationofthecommanderofthe1starmy.Itispossible,thereforethatDundarearliergavetheimpressionthathewasinfavorofacoupandmisledsomeofficerswhileintendingtosidewithErdogan.MilitaryunitsinIstanbulclosedaccesstotheBosphorusbridgearound8pmandthenthebridgetrafficinonedirectionaround9:30pm.Itislaterrevealedthattheseunitswereundertheimpressionthattheywereparticipatinginanexercise87.Thisactiondidnothelpthecoupinanyway,butsimplyexacerbatedpublicreactiontoit.Thecommanderof1starmy,UmitDundar,whopledgedallegiancetoErdoganearlyon,didnothingtostopthebridgeclosuredespitethebridgebeinginthe1starmy’sareaofresponsibility.Asthehourspassed,officersandunitsunderthefalseimpressionthatthemilitarywasstagingacoupwiththefullchainofcommandrealizedthattheywerebeingabandoned88.

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Gen.YasarGuler,the2ndChiefofGeneralStaffDirectiveswereissuedfromGen.Guler’sofficeandweresenttomilitaryunitsaroundthecountryforthemtotakeactionsthatwerelatercharacterizedasparticipationinthecoupattempt.Hisaidedecamp,CaptainMehmetAkkurt,allegedlyissuedtheseorders.Gulerhimselfdeniedanyinvolvement.Aswasmentionedabove,itisinconceivabletothinkthathisaidedecamp,whoisacaptain,wouldissueadeclarationofmartiallawwithouttheapprovalofGen.Gulerhimself,orGen.AkarorGen.Disli,whoisknownasaclosefriendofGen.Akar.OnthenightofJuly15,specialforcesunitsenteredgeneralstaffheadquartersrelativelyeasily.ThecommanderofthegeneralstaffheadquartersguardunitreportstoGen.Guler.Gen.HulusiAkar,ChiefofGeneralStaffGen.Akardidnotgoalongwiththedemandsofthepro-coupofficers.However,someofhisactionsraisequestions.Couldtop-levelcommandersholdmeetingsaboutamilitarycoupplanwithouthisknowledgeandapproval?WashethreatenedbyErdogantoplayalongwithhisplan?WhydidhenotprotecthimselforthegeneralstaffheadquartersorinformErdogan?Whydidhenottakemoreeffectiveactionsbetween4pm,whenhewasfirstinformedbytheintelligencechief,and9pm,whenhewasreportedlytakenhostage?Gen.Akarwasalsocriticizedfornotrecallingforcecommanders—whowereattendingweddingceremonies—toreturntotheirheadquartersandresumecommandofthetheirforces.Despitetheearlyinformationthesecommandersdidnottakeprecautionstoprotectthemselvesandwerelatertakenhostage.Theirself-reportedactionstotrytostopthecoupattemptweremeagerandraisemanyquestions89.Observersnotedtheabsenceoftheleaderfortheattempt,whichisunprecedentedinthehistoryofmilitarycoupsinTurkey.ThegovernmentaccusedGen.AkinOzturk,theformercommanderoftheAirForce,ofbeingthemilitaryleaderofthecoup.However,theOfficeoftheChiefoftheGeneralStaffpostedamessageonitswebsitedescribinghimasaherowhotriedtostopthepro-coupofficersandpreventbloodshed90.Nevertheless,Ozturkwascharged,arrestedandjailed.ThemessageonthewebsiteoftheOfficeofChiefoftheGeneralStaffwaslaterremoved,butacopyisavailableonothersites91(ExhibitG).ForceCommandersManyofthetopcommandersoftheTurkishMilitary,includingthreeoftheforcecommanders,wereattendingweddingceremoniesonthenightofJuly15.TheywereeventuallydetainedandtakentoAkinciairbase,theallegedheadquartersofthecoupattempt.NoneofthesecommandersischargedwithbeingaGulen-sympathizerandtheyhaveretainedtheirpositionsaftertheincident.Theirfailuretoactintimetostopallegedpro-coupofficers,andtheirtestimoniesregardingtheirresponsestothenewsofamilitarycoupattempt,leavesmanyquestionsunanswered.

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ExplanatoryPoweroftheCollusionNarrativeBelowwesummarizehowthecollusionnarrativehelpsansweralltheimportantquestionsabouttheJuly15incidentthatremainunansweredwithinthegovernment’snarrative.Question Responsebasedon

GovernmentNarrative

WhytheGovernmentResponseisnotconvincing

AnsweraccordingtotheCollusionNarrative

WhydidthemilitaryunitsshutdownbusyBosphorusBridgeduringrushhourtraffic?

Asashowofforce. Innopreviouscoupdidthepublicorthepoliceputupanyresistancetothemilitary.Untilthewhereaboutsofthechiefofgeneralstaffwasrevealed,therewasnopoliticalcommentaryinthemediaoutoffearoftheattemptsucceeding.Sothis“showofforce”wascompletelyunnecessaryfromamilitarystrategicviewpoint.

Tomakethepublicangryandhelpantagonizethemtoattacksoldiers

WhywastheParliamentbuildingbombed?

Themilitarywantedashowofforce.

Theparliamentincludesdelegatesfromallparties.EventhoughmembersofthemilitarymaybeangryatErdogan’sAKP,membersoftheoppositionpartiesarealsointheparliament.

Toantagonizethepublicandgivethemessagethatthe“pro-coup”officersareagainstthe“people’swill”

WhydidthepilotsmissErdogan’shugepalace?

Noresponse. Erdogan’spalaceisamassivebuilding,impossibletomissbyfighterjetsequippedwithguidedmissilesandbombs.

PilotswerethreatenedatgunpointtodropbombsattheparliamentandpoliceheadquartersbyErdogan’scolluders.Erdogandidnotwanthispalacedamaged.

WhywereahandfulofsoldierssenttoErdogan’spalace,whichwouldbewell-guarded?

Incompetenceofthecoupplotters.

AnymilitaryofficerwouldknowthatErdogan’spalacewouldbewell-protected.Itdoesn’tmakesensetosendahandfulofsoldierstoattempttotakeoverthepalace.

The“attack”atErdogan’spalacewassimplyashowtodepictErdoganasavictim.

Whywerepoliceheadquartersbombed?

Themilitarywasagainstthepolice.

Thepolicedidnotresistthemilitarycoupsinthepast.Therewasnoindication

Toantagonizethepoliceandhelpthemattackthemilitary

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thattherewouldbeastrongresistancethistimeeither.Ifanything,bombingpoliceheadquartersamplifiedthepoliceresponse.

unitsactivethatnight.

WhydidPresidentErdoganreportfourdifferenttimesastowhenhelearnedabouttheattempt?

Forgetfulness. ItishardtobelievethatErdoganwouldnotremembertheprecisemomentwhenhelearnedaboutthispotentiallylife-threateningevent.

Heisnottellingthetruth.Itisimpossibleforhimtoforgetthetimehelearnedaboutaneventthatthreatenedhislife.

Whydidn’ttheintelligencedirectorinformorprotectErdogan?

IntelligencedirectorcalledheadofErdogan’sguard.

IntelligencedirectordidnotasktospeakwithErdogan,hedidnotspecifythenatureofthethreatanddidnotattempttofortifyprotectionaroundErdogan.

Hedidn’tneedto,becauseErdoganalreadyknewandhislifewasnotindanger.

Whydidn’tthechiefofgeneralstaffinformErdoganorrecallforcecommanderstotheircommandsandprotectheadquartersofofficeofgeneralstaff?

Chiefofgeneralstaffmadecallstohaltflightsofmilitaryaircraftandmovementofarmedvehicles.

Actionstakenbythechiefofgeneralstaffweretooweaktostoparealmilitarycoupattempt.Thechiefhimselfwasallegedlytakenhostageseveralhoursafterbeinginformed.

Hewasinformedbeforehandthatthiswouldnotbearealcoup.HewasalliedwithErdogan.

Whydidthepro-coupunitsfailtooccupy/controlcommunicationscenters,TVstationsotherthanTRTandCNN-Turk?

Astheywereforcedtostartthecoupearlierthantheyplannedtheystumbled.

OnlyahandfulofsoldiersweresenttoTRTandCNN-Turkandtheywereeasilysubduedbypoliceandcivilians.NomilitaryunitsweresenttootherTVstations,includingpro-ErdoganTVchannelswhosestudioswerewalkingdistancefromthefewpositionsthesoldiers“occupied.”

Ifthisattemptweregenuine,evenifthemilitarywereforcedtostartearly,thiswouldbeacrucialstep.Themilitarydidnotplanthisattempt.Itwasplannedbytheintelligenceservice.Therefore,thecrucialpiecesofamilitarycoupweremissing.

Government’s“Evidence”againstGulenandResponsesTheErdogangovernmentofferedalleged“evidence”implicatingGulenandhissympathizerstothecoup92.Hereweexplorethoseclaimsandofferresponses.ThecaseofAdilOksuz,theallegedcivilianleaderofthecoup,isdiscussedinmoredetailinAppendixA.

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Claim1:ThreepoliceofficersallegedlyaffiliatedwithGulenwereamongtheputschistsoldiers.Response:ThesethreeofficerswerenotamongthethousandsofpoliceofficerspurgedbeforeJuly15bytheErdogangovernment.IfErdogan’sclaimsofGulenhavingthousandsofsympathizerswithinthepoliceforceweretrue,itwouldnotmakesensethatonlythreewouldparticipateintheattempt.Claim2:LeventTurkkan,aidedecampofChiefofGeneralStaff,“confessed”tobeingaGulenaffiliate.Response:Turkkanshowedclearsignsoftorturewhenhefirstemergedfromdetention.Histestimonyisunreliable.Athiscourthearing,Turkkanstatedthathegavehisinitialtestimonyunderduress.Claim3:ConfessionofBrigadierGeneralSagirResponse:SimilartoCol.Turkkan,Gen.Sagirshowedsignsoftorturewhenheemergedfromdetention.Histestimony,therefore,isnotreliable.Claim4:TaskListRecoveredonPutschistGeneralResponse:Theallegedtasklistisfullofcontradictions.Manyimportantcivilianpoststhataresupposedtobefilledbymilitaryofficersaremissing.Theallocationofmilitaryofficerstothepostsonthelistdoesnotlineup.Gen.AkinOzturk,forinstance,isassignedapostthatisinferiortotheposthehadpriortoJuly15.ThecaptainwhoinformedtheIntelligenceServiceofanimpendingcoupisalsoincludedinthislist.Inanycase,therelativelyeasyrecoveryofsuchalistissimplytooconvenienttobetrue.Claim5:OffertoPutChiefofGeneralStaffAkaronaPhoneLinewithGulenResponse:BothGulenandGen.HakanUnver,whoallegedlymadetheoffertoAkar,deniedthisclaim.Akarwasnotcalledtogivetestimonytotheparliamentarycommissionaboutthisorotherallegationsagainsthim.Hedidnotaddressthisissueinhiswrittenresponsestothecommission.Claim6:AdilOksuzwasthecivilianmastermindofthecoup.Response:ThegovernmentclaimedthatAdilOksuz,whoisaprofessorofTheologyatSakaryaUniversity,wastheorganizeroftheairforceofficersaffiliatedwithGulen.Besidesthefactthatitisimpossibletostageamilitarycoupwiththeairforcealone,thisallegationraisesmanyquestions.ThegovernmentclaimedthatOksuzwasarrestedneartheAkinciAirBase,theallegedheadquartersoftheattempt.AccordingtoaninterviewbyOksuz’sfamilytoaTurkishTVstation,whenhemetwiththembeforehisdisappearance,OksuzclaimedthathewasbroughtneartheAkinciAirBaseagainsthiswillbythepoliceafterbeingdetainedatacheckpoint.DespitereportedlyhavinganIntelligenceServicefileonhim,OksuzwasletfreebytwojudgesonJuly16andatamandatoryreportstopatthecourthouseonJuly18.HethentraveledonacommercialflighttoIstanbulgoingthroughairportsecuritycheckpointswithhisownIDandthendisappearedaftermeetinghisfamily.ItappearsthegovernmentwantedOksuztodisappearsothattheclaimsagainsthimandtheallegedlinktoGulencouldbecirculatedwithoutchallenge.AmoredetaileddiscussionofthiscaseisgiveninAppendixA.Claim7:OtherciviliansfoundatAkinciAirBase,TRTandTURKSAT.Response:TherearemanyproblemswiththeargumentsmadebytheErdogangovernmentagainsttheHizmetmovementregardingtheaccusedciviliansallegedlyfoundatkeylocationsonthenightofJuly15includingtheAkinciairbase,TRTbroadcastingcenterandTURKSATsatellitecenter:First,thereliabilityofthe“confessions”oftheseindividualsisquestionableduetotheoverwhelmingatmosphereofblameandindicatorsoftorturewhileindetention.Exacerbatingthisarereportsofatleastsomeoftheaccusedhavingbeenbroughttothoselocationsagainsttheirwill,includingthenow-famousAdil

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Oksuz.SomecivilianswithtechnicalskillswereclaimedtohavebeenbroughttoTRTbytheputschiststostopitsbroadcast93.However,itwasnotclearwhytheputschistswouldwanttostoptheTRTbroadcastratherthanoccupyit.Finally,whatevertheintentionsandactionsoftheciviliansallegedlyinvolvedintheeventsofJuly15,thereappearstobenomilitaryactionthatcanbetracedtothemaccordingtoofficers’testimonies.AllmilitaryofficersreportreceivingorderstomobilizefromtheirsuperiorsorthroughmessagesissuedwithinthemilitarycommunicationssystemoriginatingfromtheOfficeofGeneralStaff.Theoneindividual,Capt.MehmetAkkurt,theaidedecampoftheSecondChiefofStaffYasarGuler,whoischargedwithissuingordersformartiallawisunabletodefendhimselfsincehewaskilledonthenightofJuly15.Claim8:SocialmediapostsandmediainterviewshintatanimpendingcoupbyindividualsallegedlyconnectedwithGulen.Response:Whileitistruethatcertainsocialmediapostsbycertainindividualshintatanimpendingcoup,thatdoesnotofferevidencetoimplicateGulenorHizmetparticipantsforthreereasons:First,priortoJuly15,therumorsofanimpendingcoupweresowidespreadandbyindividualsofallorientations,includingErdogansympathizers.Second,thenatureoftherelationshipbetweentheaccusedindividualsandGulenishighlydebatable.ItispossibletofindpostsbyHizmetsympathizersthatarehighlycriticaloftheaforementionedpostsandthataccusethoseindividualsofbeingmolesplantedbytheTurkishIntelligenceService.Inanycase,therehavebeennostatementsbycredibleaffiliatesofGulenthatconfirmtheaffiliationofthoseindividualswithhim.Finally,someofthosepostsandmediainterviewshavebeeneditedanddisseminatedoutofcontext.Forinstance,avideointerviewsegmentbyDr.OsmanOzsoy,ahistoryprofessor,authorandTVprogramhost,hasbeencirculatedbypro-ErdoganmediaasevidenceofGulensympathizers’involvementintheJuly15attempt.Inthesegment,OzsoysaysthathewouldbeabletoservehiscountrymuchbetterasacolonelinTurkisharmyratherthaninhiscurrentroleasanacademicandcommentator.WhatiseditedoutofthissegmentisthepartwhereOzsoyexplainswhathemeans.Accordingtohisexplanation,manyoftheTurkishmilitaryanti-terroroperationsarecommandedbycolonels.HeisexpressinghiswishthatasacolonelhecouldbepartofcounterterrorismoperationsthattheTurkisharmyhasbeenconductingforyears.Claim9:Gulen-sympathizersused“ByLock,”anencryptedcommunicationprogram.Response:The“ByLock”softwarewascommerciallyavailableonApple’sAppStoreandGooglePlay.ThemainserverfortheByLocksoftwarewasbroughtdownseveralmonthsbeforeJuly15,accordingtoitsauthor,makingitunusable94.Intheirbriefingtoforeignreporters,membersoftheTurkishIntelligenceServicestatedthatnoneoftheByLockmessagesthattheyinterceptedreferencedacoupplot95.Nevertheless,theuseoftheByLocksoftwarehasbeenusedbyTurkishcourtstoestablish“guiltbyassociation”96andincriminatethousandsofTurkishcitizensincludingacademics97,businesspeople98andhousewives99.StrategicGoalsAchievedbyErdoganThankstotheJuly15IncidentTheJuly15incidentgaveErdogananexcellentexcusetopursuehisgoalofconsolidatingpower.Inparticular:

1. Massivepurgesandarreststargetedmembersofthebureaucracyandthecivilsociety.Inthemorningofthecoup,abigpurgestartedwiththedismissalandlaterarrestsof2,745members

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ofthejudiciary.Duringtheremainingmonths,morethan120,000governmentemployeesweresacked.Purgescontinuedtounprecedentedproportions,andtensofthousandsofcivilians,includinghousewivesandmothersofinfants100weretargeted.

2. Erdogan’sbidforexecutivepresidencygainedmomentum.PriortotheJuly15coupattempt,opinionpollsconsistentlyshowedthatthemajorityoftheTurkishelectoratewasopposedtotheexecutivepresidentialsystemproposedbyErdogan101.Intheaftermathoftheincident,Erdoganbeganpushingforthechange.InaconstitutionalreferenduminApril2017,hesecuredbyanarrowmarginthepathtoa2019executivepresidency.

3. Purgingandrestructuringthemilitarybecamemucheasier.Inthemorningofthecoup,abigpurgestarted,withmorethan2,700membersofthejudiciaryand8,000militaryofficerssacked,including150NATOofficers(halfoftheNATOstaffintheTurkishmilitary).ErdoganstartedacompleteoverhauloftheTurkishmilitary’ssystemofeducation,recruitment,reportingandpromotion.

4. TurkisharmyenteredSyria.ItwaswellknownthatErdoganwantedtheTurkishmilitarytointerveneinNorthernSyriatosupporttheFreeSyrianArmyagainstthegroupknownasthe“SyrianDemocraticForcesledbyKurdishYPGforces.Thatdesire,however,wasmetwithresistancebysomecommandersoftheTurkishmilitary.Gen.AdemHuduti,commanderoftheSecondArmy,andGen.ErdalOzturk,commanderofthe3rdArmyCorps,bothknownasKemalist/Secularistcommanders,werearrestedafterJuly15.WhileGen.HudutiwasathiscommandonthenightofJuly15,Gen.OzturkwasonvacationataMediterraneanresort.Thecommonattributeofthesecommanders,alongwithGen.SemihTerzi,commanderofSpecialForces’1stBrigade,whowaskilledbyaninferiorofficerthatnight,isthattheywereknowntohavestronglyopposedTurkishMilitary’sincursionintoSyria.TurkishMilitarystartedanincursionintoSyriainAugust2016102.

ConcludingRemarksOnJuly15,2016,ahorrificandanunprecedentedtragedyoccurredinTurkey.Anactionthatlookedlikeamilitarycoup,onethatcostthelivesofhundredsofsoldiersandcivilians,wascrushedprimarilybythepoliceforceandTurkishcitizens.ManyaspectsoftheincidentbaffledobserversandquestionspersisttothisdaysuchasPresidentErdogan’shavingreportedfourdifferenttimesastowhenhelearnedaboutit,theIntelligenceChiefsnotinformingorprotectingErdogan,themilitaryChiefofGeneralStaff’snotcommunicatingwithErdoganorprotectinghimself,thesoldiers’failuretotakePresidentErdoganorPMBinaliYildirimintocustody,thelackofanyattempttocontrol100plusmediaoutletsfriendlytoErdogan,thestartingoftheactionatrushhour,theshuttingdownofIstanbul’sverybusyBosphorustraffic,andthebombingoftheparliamentbuildingandpoliceheadquarters.Theseactionsdon'tmakesenseinamilitarycoup,whichTurkeyfacedmultipletimesbefore,andimportantquestionsremainaboutthegovernment’snarrative.However,thereisanalternativenarrativeunderwhichalloftheseactionsmakesense.Thealternativenarrative,whichisreferredtoasthe“CollusionNarrative”here,isthatagroupofultra-nationalistofficers,incollusionwithErdoganandhisIntelligenceService,startedaweakandcompromisedmilitaryactiononlytocrushitwiththehelpofthepoliceforceandangrycrowds.Themovewasdesignedtolackessentialcomponentsofamilitarycoup,andhencewasguaranteedtofail.Accordingtothisnarrative,PresidentErdoganreportedfourdifferenttimesastowhenhelearnedabouttheincidentbecausehewasnottellingthetruth.TheIntelligenceDirectordidnotinformorprotectErdoganbecauseErdogandidnotneedtobeinformedorprotected.ThemilitaryactionwassetuptofailandtherewasnorealthreattoErdogan’slife.Theactionbeganduringrushhourandthe

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parliamentbuildingwasbombedtoaggravatethepublic.Policespecialoperationsheadquarterswasbombedbeforepolicetookanyactionagainstthemilitary,inordertoaggravateandemboldenthepolice.Atthispoint,thereisnotenoughevidencetoclaimthatthecollusionnarrativeiswhatactuallyhappenedonJuly15.Andthisdiscussionisnotintendedtoserveasadefinitiveassertionoraccusation,butratherasacallforanindependentinvestigationcomprisedofaninternationalcommitteeofexperts.Forsuchaninvestigationtosucceed,theTurkishgovernmentmustalsoguaranteethesafetyoftheaccusedmilitaryofficersandtheirfamiliessotheycantestifywithoutfearofreprisalbythegovernment.Ironically,theclarificationofwhatreallyhappenedonJuly15isinthehandsoftheErdogangovernment,whichsofarhasshownlittleinterestinferretingoutthefacts.

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EXHIBITA:CategoriesofHumanRightsAbusesunderErdogan’sStateofEmergency

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EXHIBITB:Gulen’sMessageCondemningtheAttemptandDenyingAnyInvolvementThefollowingmessagewasapprovedbyF.Gulenforpublicationaround1:48AMTurkishtimewhilethecoupattemptwasinprogress.

EXHIBITC:Gulen’sOpEdChallengingErdoganOnLeMonde(11August2016)GulenchallengedTurkishGovernmenttoallowforaninternationalinvestigationintotheeventandpledgedtoprovidefullcooperation.

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EXHIBITD:PhotosofOfficersShowingSignsofTorture

ColonelLeventTurkkan,aidedecampofChiefofGeneralStaff,allegedly“confessed”toparticipatinginthecoupattheurgingofGulenaffiliates.

Soldierspileduplikefishduringdetention.

Gen.AkinOzturk,formercommanderoftheairforce,showingsignsofilltreatmentandpotentiallytorture.OzturkwasaccusedbythegovernmenttobethemilitarymastermindofthecoupdespitebeingexoneratedbytheChiefofGeneralStaffAkar.Akarlaterretractedhisexoneratingstatementfromthewebsiteofhisoffice.

ColonelFiratAlakusofSpecialForcesshowingsignsofilltreatmentandpotentiallytorture.Alakuswasaccusedofparticipatinginthecoup.HedeniedtheaccusationandsaidthathesimplyfollowedhisorderstoprotecttheofficeoftheChiefofGeneralStaffissuedbytheSpecialForcesCommanderGen.Aksakalli.Aksalliwasnevercharged.

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EXHIBITE:Erdogan’sContradictoryReportsofWhenHeLearnedAbouttheJuly15Attempt

July16:ErdoganatIstanbulAtaturkairport,around4:20am,statingthat“asitisknowntherewasmobilizationwithinthemilitaryin

theafternoonhours”.

July18:ErdogantellingCNNthathelearnedabouttheeventfromhisbrotherinlawaround

8pm.

July21:ErdogantellingReutersthathelearnedabouttheattemptaround4:30pm.

July30:ErdogantellingTurkishnewschannelA-Haberthathelearnedabouttheattempt

around9:30pm.

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EXHIBITF:VisualsofDamagetotheParliamentBuilding

Parliamentroomallegedlydamagedbyaerialbombing.Observersnotethatthedoorshingesshownosignofexplosiondamage.

Parliamentroomallegedlydamagedbyaerialbombing.ObserversnotethattheHDTVonthewellshowsnosignofexplosiondamageincontrastwiththefurniture.

Ex-militaryobserversnotingavisualpatterninconsistentwithapenetratingtwo-stagebombdamage.

AsitedevotedtoanalyzinggovernmentclaimsaboutJuly15contraststhevisualpatternoftheallegedaerialbombingoftheparliamentwiththevideofootageofarealaerialbombingwiththeammunitionclaimedtohavebeenused.

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EXHIBITG:PressReleasebytheChiefofTurkishGeneralStaffonJuly21ExoneratingGen.AkinOzturk(Item5),praisinghisefforttotrytostoptheattempt.ThepressreleasewaslaterremovedfromtheChiefofGeneralStaff’swebsiteunderpressurebyErdogan.

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APPENDIXA:AdilOksuz:TheAllegedCivilianLeaderoftheAttemptTurkishgovernmenthasclaimedthatDr.AdilOksuz,aprofessoroftheologyatSakaryaUniversitywasthecivilianorganizerbehindtheJuly15thincident.ThegovernmentclaimedthathetraveledtotheUnitedStates,allegedlytomeetwithGulenandgethisapprovalforacoupattempt.OksuzwasdetainedonthenightofJuly15thnearAkinciairbaseinAnkara,theallegedheadquartersoftheattempt.Theinformationthatsurfacedabouthim,however,raisesseveralquestionsaboutthegovernment’sstory.Let’sexaminetheevidenceagainsthim:

1. AphotographofOksuzattheAkinciairbase,datedJuly16th,togetherwithdetainedofficers.[VISUAL]

2. AvideoofOksuz,enteringandexitingSincancourthouseinthemorningofJuly18th.TworelatedvideorecordingsshowOksuzatAnkara’sEsenbogaairportandIstanbul’sSabihaGokcenairportaround9amthemorningofJuly18th.[VISUAL]

3. Testimoniesbytwosecretwitnesses,namedSapka(Hat)andKuzgun(Raven),thatOksuztraveledtotheU.S.togetGulen’sapprovalforthecoupandwasactivelyorganizingofficersthenightpriortothecoup.

OksuzwascapturednearAkinciairbaseonthenightofJuly15.Thegovernmentallegedthathewastheretotouchbasewiththemilitaryofficers.HewasarrestedandkeptattheairbaseandphotographedtherebeforebeingtakentoSincancourthousealongwith99militaryofficers.Whilealltheofficerswerearrested,OksuzwasreleasedbyjudgeKoksalCelikduetolackofevidencewiththeconditionsthathereporttothecourthousetwodayslaterandwithabanonforeigntravel.ProsecutorMehmetYilmazappealedthereleasedecisiontoahighercourt(AsliyeCeza).Thistime,judgeCetinSonmezdeniedtheprosecutor’sappealonthebasisthattherewasnoevidencetojustifyanarrest.Pro-governmentmediaallegedthatthejudgeswereGulen-sympathizers.However,itwasrevealedlaterthatoneofthejudgesissuedasupervisor/trustee(“kayyim”inTurkish)toaHizmet-sympatheticcompanyaspartofErdogan’scrackdownonHizmet.Twodayslater,Oksuzreportedtothecourt,spending21minutesatthecourthouseandthentookaflighttoIstanbulfromAnkara’sEsenbogaairport.OksuzwaswelcomedattheIstanbulairportbyhisbrother-in-lawandtakentohishouse.HespentthedayathishouseandthenheadedtoSakarya,hisworkplaceandwherehisin-lawswereliving.HespentthenightofJuly19intheirhome,toldhisstory,andleftinthemorning,presumablyforwork,nevertobeseensince.Whileathisin-laws’home,OksuztoldthemthathewasdetainedagainsthiswillbythepoliceinAnkaraanddroppedatahighwayneartheAkinciairbase.Hewasimmediatelyarrestedthereandtakentothebase.Hewasinterrogatedandreleasedlater.ThecaseofAdilOksuzraisesmanyquestionsforthegovernmentnarrative.IfOksuzindeedplayedaroleinthepreparationofJuly15andhadpreviousrelationshipswithmilitaryofficers,thenitisinconceivablethatTurkishIntelligenceServiceMITdidnothaveafileonhim.While99soldierswhowerebroughttothecourtwerearrested,Oksuzwasreleasedbytwoseparatejudges.Inthevideoofhisreturningtothecourthouseforreporting,asaskedbythejudge,heappearscomfortableandreadyfortravelwithasuitcaseinhishand.Heentersandexitsthecourthousewiththesuitcase.WhenheiswelcomebyhisbrotherinlawinIstanbul,thelattermakesavisualcall,presumablytoOksuz’family,andOksuzwaveshishand.Oksuz’generalappearanceatthecourthouseonthemorningofJuly18,histakingaflighttoIstanbulbyshowinghisphotoID,fullyawareofsecuritycamerasrecordinghisactions,spendingJuly18athisownresidenceandthenspendingthenextnightathisin-laws’residencedonotreflectthepsychologyandexpectedbehaviorpatternofamaninvolvedin

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orchestratingamilitarycoupandbeingluckyenoughtobereleasedbymistake.AKPgovernmentpurged2745membersofthejudiciarythedayafterthecoupattemptandmorethan2000ofthemwerealsoarrestedandimprisoned.ThetwojudgeswhoreleasedOksuz,however,werenotdismissedorimprisoned.Theyweresimplysubjectedtoaninquiry,anincomparablyfavorabletreatmentincontrasttothethousandsofjudgesandprosecutorswhowerefirstdismissedandthenarrestedstartingonJuly16.APPENDIXB:ExcerptsfromIndependentCommentaryontheAlternativeNarrativesGermanintelligenceexpertandauthorErichSchmidt-Eenboom,speakingonaGermanpublicbroadcasterZDF103:

“According to CIA analyses, the so-called coup attempt was staged by Erdoğan to prevent a real coup. The BND, CIA and other Western intelligence services do not see the slightest evidence showing Gülen instigating the coup attempt.”

VeteranTurkishJournalistCengizÇandaronAlMonitor,PostedJuly17,2016104

While the Turkish coup was underway, The New York Times was asking me whether I was surprised, expecting my answer to be, “Of course I am.” I bluntly wanted to respond “No” and remind New York Times correspondent Sabrina Tavernise that only two weeks ago, in our lengthy chat in Istanbul, I had told her of the “Faustian bargain President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan made with the military, which therefore, in my opinion, opened the way for a coup or a coup attempt to take place in Turkey within the upcoming two years.” But I conceded and told her, “Yes, I’m surprised. I did not expect that to happen in two weeks.”

KemalKilicdaroglu,chairmanofmainoppositionpartyCHP:

“The real coup was done on July 20, after the controlled coup of July 15th was over. Nobody should forget July 20th. This is the date when the executive branch got the approval for the state of emergency from the parliament. Now, the real putschists of July 20 want to constitutionalize the current situation. That is why they brought this constitutional amendment to the parliament.”105(Translationandemphasisbyauthors)106

GermanFocusmagazinereportedthefollowingintheirJuly2016issue:

British signals intelligence agency GCHQ intercepted communication between top Erdogan brass about half an hour after shooting started that the coup would be blamed on Gulen and purges would start the next day107108.

HDPleaderSelahattinDemirtasinaspeechatTurkishparliament:

“I heard it from my brother-in-law.” He says. Lie! He knew about it before you, me, MIT (Turkish Intelligence Service). You knew about the coup, took your precautions, and just to consolidate your power you let all those people die. We are facing one of the biggest setups in the history of Turkey109.“

DemirtaswasarrestedinFebruary2017underterrorismcharges110.AykanErdemir,formerTurkishparliamentarianandseniorfellowatWashington-basedFoundationforDefenseofDemocraciesquestionedtherelativespeedinwhichthecoupattemptwasfoiled:

PresidentRecepTayyipErdogan’sallegationsaboutexiledclericFethullahGülen’sinvolvementintheJuly15coupd’etatbidinTurkeyisnotbeingtakenseriouslybymanyanalystsbasedinvariousworld

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capitals.However,governmentsaremaintainingsilenceonthematterindeferencetothe‘legitimatedemocraticgovernment’inAnkara.MostanalystsareindeedquestioningthewaytheTurkeycoupwasfoiledbeforeitactuallygotimplementedontheground.Wastheplotsetupforaguaranteedfailure?WasitaimedtostrengthenErdogan’srulewhilehisgraspoverhiselectoratewaslooseningthankstofailureinSyria,economiclossesduetoRussiansanctionsimposedforshootingdownitsplaneandmistrustvis-à-visIran?111

JoeLauria,aveteranforeign-affairsjournalistwrote:

Because Erdogan knew of the coup hours before, there is a stronger possibility that he let it happen to smoke out disloyal officers, confident his handpicked brass would crush it. They may have played along with the coup and then double-crossed the coup leaders once it was underway. It would be a seriously amateurish attempt to go ahead without the consent of the top military leadership112.

MithatSancar,memberoftheParliamentaryCommissionInvestigatingtheJuly15thIncidentrepresentingoppositionHDP113:

“Many individuals, who would have provided valuable information to illuminate the coup attempt were not called to testify at the parliamentary investigation commission. The ruling AKP did not form this commission to illuminate the coup attempt. They produced a coup narrative. The ruling AKP has a narrative about the coup attempt. They were expecting a work that would support this narrative…. In our opinion, AKP leadership and the President knew about the coup plan a while ago. The president and his team knew about it. Instead of stopping it, they allowed it to start. Their purpose was to capture the coup plotters on the night of the attempt. Not only that. When the President called the coup attempt “a gift from God”, he was publicizing his plan for the aftermath of the attempt. They used the coup attempt as an opportunity and implemented a counter coup.”114(Translationbyauthors)

APPENDIXC:ExcerptfromReportbyU.K.HouseofCommonsonU.K.TurkishRelations115

“Given the brutality of the events of 15 July, the severity of the charges made against the Gülenists, and the scale of the purges of perceived Gülenists that has been justi ed on this basis, there is a relative lack of hard, publicly–available evidence to prove that the Gülenists as an organisation were responsible for the coup attempt in Turkey. While there is evidence to indicate that some individual Gülenists were involved, it is mostly anecdotal or circumstantial, sometimes premised on information from confessions or informants, and is—so far—inconclusive in relation to the organisation as a whole or its leadership. As we publish this report, nine months after the coup attempt, neither the UK nor Turkish governments can point us to one person who has been found guilty by a court of involvement in the coup attempt, let alone anyone being found guilty with evidence of involvement with Gülenist motives. We also note that, despite Turkey purportedly submitting 80 boxes of ‘evidence’ to the US to achieve the extradition of Fethullah Gülen on the basis that he masterminded the coup attempt, the US judiciary has not yet moved to deport him.”

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ENDNOTES1https://turkeypurge.comnumbersreportedasof23June2017.2http://www.intflc.org3http://internationalfestival.us4https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/07/turkey-independent-monitors-must-be-allowed-to-access-detainees-amid-torture-allegations/5https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/10/25/turkey-emergency-decrees-facilitate-torture6http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=209777https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/10/24/blank-check/turkeys-post-coup-suspension-safeguards-against-torture8https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/world/europe/turkey-erdogan-gulen-purge.html9http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-l-phillips/erdogans-inner-stalin_b_11101118.html10http://hizmetnews.com/18205/fethullah-gulen-condemns-coup-attempt-turkey/11http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/opinion/fethullah-gulen-i-condemn-all-threats-to-turkeys-democracy.html12http://www.huffingtonpost.com/emre-celik/fethullah-guelen-i-call-f_b_11480974.html13http://www.theglobepost.com/2017/03/25/after-8-months-turkish-govt-still-unable-to-sell-coup-narrative-to-allies/14https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/world/europe/fethullah-gulen-erdogan-extradition.html15https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-reality-check-on-the-middle-east-from-americas-spy-chief/2016/07/21/a221a1aa-4f86-11e6-aa14-e0c1087f7583_story.html?utm_term=.aa0efff4f74a16http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-germany-idUSKBN16P0LQ17http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/erdogan-plotted-purge-before-coup-say-brussels-spies-2hh8mgx6h18https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/indepth/2017/2/1/UK-No-evidence-Gulen-involved-in-Turkey-coup-attempt19https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmfaff/615/615.pdf20https://washingtonhattius.com/2017/06/15/western-diplomatic-sources-western-govts-not-believe-gulen-behind-coup/21Amemberofthejudiciarywhowasonthepurgelistdiedmonthsbeforetheincident.22http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2016/07/why_the_failed_turkish_coup_will_empower_erdogan.html23https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmfaff/615/615.pdf24https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/05/21/testimony-shows-major-informed-mit-about-coup-7-hours-beforehand/25https://www.turkishminute.com/2016/12/04/chp-deputy-implies-july-15-coup-attempt-staged/26https://www.turkeyanalyst.org/publications/turkey-analyst-articles/item/562-post-putsch-narratives-and-turkeys-curious-coup.html27http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-skeptics/why-erdo%C4%9Fan-shouldnt-double-down-dictatorship-after-the-coup-1701728TurkishparliamenttookthedecisiontoformthecommissiononJuly26th.However,byprovidingthenamesofAKPdelegatestothecommissionjustbeforetheparliamentwentonvacation,AKPdelayedthestartofthecommission’sworkuntilOctober4th.29http://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/yazarlar/2017/01/10/akpye-ragmen-bu-karanlik-darbenin-sirlari-ortaya-cikacak/

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30ThecommissiondidnotevenaskforanaffidavitfromMr.Guleninresponsetotheaccusationsagainsthim.31http://www.silkroadstudies.org/publications/joint-center-publications/item/13209-a-botched-coup-and-turkeys-descent-into-madness.html32http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/siyaset/775047/Bekir_Bozdag__Darbe_olmus_Basbakanlik_musavirisiniz_gidip_konusuyorsunuz_siz_kimsiniz_.html33http://www.sabah.com.tr/yazarlar/kutahyali/2017/03/07/15-temmuz-ve-ataturkcu-subaylar34http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-the-failed-turkish-coup-attempt-wasnt-a-false-flag-power-grab-by-erdogan/553634135http://www.atimes.com/article/turkish-military-denies-coup-attempt-against-erdogan-what-next/36http://vatanpartisi.org.tr/genel-merkez/gundeme-dair/rus-yetkili-bizi-vatan-partisi-ikna-etti-2026437https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_sanctioned_during_the_Ukrainian_crisis38http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11038730/French-politician-defends-plan-for-Crimean-theme-park.html39http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-dugin-trump-putin-turkey-20170203-story.html40https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWkHihbiYDw41http://bipartisanpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BPC-President-Erdogan-Turkey.pdf42http://www.tgrthaber.com.tr/politika/perincek-erdogan-olmazsa-abdye-karsi-koyamayiz-17524843http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/44https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/turkey45https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/turkey/report-turkey/46http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/10/turkey-criticised-over-media-freedoms-and-judicial-independence-in-eu-report47https://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Turkey-Judiciary-in-Peril-Publications-Reports-Fact-Findings-Mission-Reports-2016-ENG.pdf48https://www.wsj.com/articles/mike-flynns-pro-turkey-work-an-unfinished-documentary-to-boost-countrys-image-149618327649http://dailycaller.com/2017/06/01/the-landscape-surrounding-michael-flynns-enigmatic-client/50https://www.wsj.com/articles/ex-cia-director-mike-flynn-and-turkish-officials-discussed-removal-of-erdogan-foe-from-u-s-149038042651http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-dugin-trump-putin-turkey-20170203-story.html52http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/10/turkey-power-struggle-between-islamists-and-secularists.html53http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/13/turkeys-post-coup-purge-and-erdogans-private-army-sadat-perincek-gulen/54http://www.palo.com.tr/a/özgürlüğümün-bir-tümörle-gelmesi-ne-acı-demişti-28775355https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHoGhGbc_a456http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/12/turkeys-deep-state-has-a-secret-backchannel-to-assad/57http://vatanpartisi.org.tr/english/dosyalar/the-turkish-left-and-the-pkk-1109458http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/29/erdogan-and-u-s-general-in-post-coup-war-of-words/59http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-nato-exclusive-idUSKCN12C16Q60http://iswresearch.blogspot.com/2016/07/partial-assessment-of-turkeys-post-coup.html

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61http://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/yazarlar/fuat-ugur/591124.aspx62Bukonuşma7ŞubatMİTdarbesindensonra,17-25Aralıkdarbegirişimindendeöncedir.ÜmitAkdemirovakitşöyleyanıtlıyoronları:“BakMuratbey.Emniyet’teörneğinkaçmüdürlükvar.Diyelimki500.Amabirdüşünün.O500hizmetelemanınıorayayerleştirirkensenenaz2000adayıküstürmüşsün.Sizsanıyormusunuzkiemniyetsadecebizden.Buyargıdada,bürokrasidedeböyle.Sanıyormusunuzkidevletuyuyor.Hepsinitakipediyor.Emiryukarıdangeldiğindehareketegeçenleraynızamandakendilerinideifşaetmişolurlar.Devletdeonlarınzatenhizalanmasınıbeklemektedirvebüyüktemizliğebaşlar.Anadolu’dabirlafvardır,TavukTAR’dasayılır.Sizdolaşır,çalışırsınız.Sanırsınızkidevletinhiçbirşeydenhaberiyok.EmirkomutaileTar’ın,yaniodununüzerinesıralanıphizalandığınızdaöylekolaysayılırveavlanırsınızkineyeuğradığınızışaşırırsınız.Devletbazıhareketlerinizigöremeyebiliramaortayaçıktığınızanhepiniziavlar.”63http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2016/07/why_the_failed_turkish_coup_will_empower_erdogan.html64http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/07/turkey-kamikaze-coup-attempt-fails.html65http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/darbe-girisiminden-yargilanan-binbasi-aksakal-4035773366https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/military-coup-was-well-planned-and-very-nearly-succeeded-say-turkish-officials67http://www.posta.com.tr/tbmm-yi-bombalayan-darbeci-pilot-terorle-mucadele-harekati-sandim-haberi-128277168http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pro-coup-sniper-on-istanbuls-bosphorus-bridge-tower-shot-dead-during-coup-attempt--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=101904&NewsCatID=34169https://www.wsj.com/articles/erdogan-ally-died-in-bosporus-bridge-confrontation-146894927670AlawyerwhoescapedfromTurkeyaftertheincidentsharedthestoryofaresidentofCengelkoydistrictinIstanbul.Accordingtothisresidentcivilianswerekilledintheirdistrictbybearded,armedmenonmotorcycles.ThisdescriptionfitsthedescriptionofmembersofSADAT,whatisineffectPresidentErdogan’spersonalarmy.71http://www.shaber3.com/adam-kacirilan-siyah-transporterlar-15-temmuzda-da-sahnedeymis-haberi/1286295/72http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2016/gundem/silahli-sivillerin-sokakta-ne-isi-var-1317315/73http://www.milliyet.com.tr/turksat-davasinda-ikinci-ara-karar-gundem-2458915/74http://www.aei.org/publication/did-erdogan-stage-the-coup/75https://stockholmcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/15_July_Erdogans_Coup_13.07.2017.pdf76https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHr3MdZn8G877https://purgednato.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/a-search-for-truth1.pdfp.4878http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3694232/Eight-coup-supporters-fled-Greece-Blackhawk-helicopter-fight-Turkish-demands-sent-home-face-retribution.html79http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/15/gunfire-heard-jets-seen-flying-in-turkish-capital-of-ankara.html80https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1GtZaYQ9JQ81https://stockholmcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/15_July_Erdogans_Coup_13.07.2017.pdf82https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZtuHW-fFIY83http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2016/07/21/greeces-air-force-erdogans-aircraft-at-no-point-harassed-by-rebel-f-16s-on-coup-night/84https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcO84VubmU885http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/07/turkey-kamikaze-coup-attempt-fails.html

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86http://haber.sol.org.tr/toplum/yandas-fatih-tezcanin-darbeci-dedigi-isim-genelkurmay-baskani-yapildi-16219987http://www.yeniasya.com.tr/gundem/koprudeki-askerler-darbe-girisimi-gecesi-yasadiklarini-anlatti_40607888http://www.gazetevatan.com/darbeci-askerlerden-sasirtan-ifadeler-1039748-gundem/89https://stockholmcf.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/15_July_Erdogans_Coup_13.07.2017.pdf90http://www.bbc.com/turkce/3685860191http://www.emekliasubaylar.org/images/haberler/darbe/genkur-basin-21-temmuz.jpg92https://www.hizmetstudies.org/commentary/questions-we-dare-not-ask-gulen-and-the-coup/93http://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2016/08/23/trtyi-basan-sivil-ismin-kimligi-ortaya-cikti94http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/bylock-use-is-an-evidence-of-gulen-network-links-owner.aspx?PageID=238&NID=105284&NewsCatID=50995https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-powerful-spy-network-never-saw-coup-coming-146982306296http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-turkey-purge-crackdown-snap-story.html97https://turkeypurge.com/22-itu-academics-jailed-over-bylock-use98https://turkeypurge.com/40-businessmen-public-servants-detained-over-bylock-use99https://turkeypurge.com/33-housewives-teachers-detained-in-kayseri-over-bylock-use100http://www.turkeypurge.com101http://www.newsweek.com/turkey-coup-erdogan-can-now-consolidate-power-483951102ItisinterestingtonotethatHomelandPartymemberformerGen.PekinandotherretiredseniorTurkishofficersRearAdm.SonerPolatandMaj.Gen.BeyazitKaratas,visitedDamascusinJanuary,April,andMay2015andmetwith“severalofthemostinfluentialsecuritychiefs,diplomats,andpoliticalofficialsintheSyriangovernment”inordertofacilitateanormalizationofrelationswithTurkey.http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/12/turkeys-deep-state-has-a-secret-backchannel-to-assad/103http://citifmonline.com/2017/04/05/erdogan-was-behind-failed-coup-based-on-cia-bnd-reports-german-intel-expert/104http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/en/originals/2016/07/turkey-military-coup-attempt-more-questions-than-answers.html105http://www.diken.com.tr/kilicdaroglu-ohali-tanimladi-gercek-darbe-20-temmuzda-yapildi/106http://presstv.ir/Detail/2017/04/03/516596/Turkey-AKP-CHP-Kemal-Kilicdaroglu-Erdogan-coup-FETO-Gulen107.http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2016/07/report-british-intel-proves-erdogan-staged-the-turkey-coup-will-blame-gulens-hizmet-sack-millions-3390262.html108http://www.thedailysheeple.com/report-british-intel-proves-erdogan-staged-the-turkey-coup-will-blame-gulens-hizmet-sack-millions_072016109https://www.hdp.org.tr/en/en/news/from-hdp/demirtas-erdogan-knew-about-the-coup-before-it-happened/9047110http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/02/turkey-kurdish-politicians-face-up-143-years-jail.html111http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/dr-aykan-erdemir-turkish-coup-staged-by-erdogan/ 112http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/08/04/mystery-turkeys-failed-coup113http://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/yazarlar/2017/01/10/akpye-ragmen-bu-karanlik-darbenin-sirlari-ortaya-cikacak/

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114Original:“Dinlenmelerihalindedarbeyleilgilipekçoknoktayıaçığaçıkartacakkişilerçağrılmadı.AKPbukomisyonubellikidarbeyiaçığaçıkarmakgibibiramaçlakurdurmamıştı.Birtürdarbehikayesikurguladılar.BiranlatısıvardıAKP’nindarbeyeilişkin.Buanlatıyıdestekleyecekçalışmabekliyorlardı.Neydibuanlatı;15TemmuzdarbesiGülencemaatinemensupsubaylartarafındanorganizeedilmiş,hayatageçirilmiştir.Bütünsorumluluk,bütünplanlarGülencemaatineaittir…Darbeyekalkışanlarınsiyasibağlantıları,Gülencilerinsayısı,cemaatdışındannekadarkişininkatıldığıgibisorularhiçbirşekildetartışılmadı.AKP’ninanlatısı,darbesonrasınailişkinsiyasistretejisibusorularımümkünolduğuncasordurmamaktı.Böylebirstratejinindoğalsonucuolarakdarbedekimlerinrolaldığının,siyasiayağınınveamacınınneolduğununortayaçıkmasınıistemediler.AKPkendianlatısınauygunbirçalışmaiçinkomisyonuaraçsallaştırdı.”“BizegöreAKPyönetimi,baştaCumhurbaşkanıdarbegirişimindenbellibirsüreöncehaberdarolmuşlardı.Cumhurbaşkanıveekibinindarbedenhaberivardı.Darbegirişiminiöncedenengellemekyerineyolverdilerdarbecilere.Onlarındarbegirişiminebaşlamasınaizinverdiler,imkantanıdılar.Darbegecesidarbecilerikıskıvrakyakalamaktıamaçları.Sadecebundandaibaretdeğil.Cumhurbaşkanı‘BubizeAllahınbirlütfu’derkendarbegecesisonrasınailişkinstratejisininetbirbiçimdeaçığavuruyordu.Darbeyifırsatolarakkullandılarvekarşıdarbegerçekleştirdiler.”115https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmfaff/615/615.pdf