Former Turkish Air Force Commander confesses to planning coup

The 64-year old general then became the chief of the Turkish air force before resigning in 2015 while continuing to be a member of Turkey’s Supreme Military Council.

Akin Ozturk was on Monday shown under arrest and battered as one of more than 100 generals and admirals accused of being part of the violent putsch effort.

However, Haberturk and broadcaster NTV cited what they said was his testimony to prosecutors, reporting that he denied playing a role. I had no information about who is the organizer of the coup attempt.

“I don’t know who planned or directed it. According to my experiences, I think that the (Gulen movement) attempted this coup”, Ozturk was quoted as saying.

The footage of him and others accused of being traitors was allegedly filmed at a police station in Ankara where the men are being held in custody before they appear in court later today.

Earlier, Akin Ozturk was reportedly detained in Turkey on the suspicion of organizing the coup attempt. More than 8,000 police officers were also suspended and forced to hand over their weapons.

That followed the arrest of 6000 military personnel and suspension of nearly 3000 judges over the weekend.

The Turkish Journalists Association, or TGC, says it condemns the attempts “to eliminate parliamentary democracy, the people’s basic rights and freedoms and the freedom of press or expression”. The country’s leadership later said that the coup was quashed.

Turkey has blamed the coup on supporters of Erdogan’s arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, within the military.

At least 99 people involved in organizing the coup attempt in Turkey have been arrested in Ankara, Haberler news portal reported on Monday.