Posted on 07/17/2016 8:45:02 AM PDT by fella
Incirlik air base, one of the most important in the region, houses tactical nuclear weapons and functions as an anti-IS headquarters
General Bekir Ercan Van, commander of the Incirlik air base, one of the most important in the entire region, has been arrested for complicity in Friday’s coup, a Turkish official told Middle East Eye.
Incirlik base houses tactical nuclear weapons and is currently used by the United States as an operations headquarters in its war against the Islamic State group.
The Turkish official, who did not want to be named, added that 10 other soldiers and police were also arrested at the air base.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s military aide, Colonel Ali Yazici, has also had an arrest warrant issued against him by a Turkish judge for his involvement in Friday's attempted coup, according to Turkish daily Cumhuriyet.
Meanwhile, at Istanbul’s Fatih Mosque, Erodgan spoke at the funeral of the brother one of his advisers.
“We are not after revenge,” he told the crowd who turned out to watch him speak. “If they have guns and tanks, we have faith. So let us think before each step we take. We will act with reason and experience.”
He doubled down on his claim that US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen was behind the attempted coup, telling the crowd: “The coup instigators are representatives of Gulen's terrorist organisation.”
Responding to chants from the crowd saying "We want executions!" Erdogan responded: "I said it yesterday as well, the peoples' demands cannot be ignored in democracies. This is your right. This right will be evaluated by the relevant authorities, especially from a constitutional perspective, and a decision will be taken."
The deputy leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Mehmet Muezzinoglu, said on Saturday that the government will introduce a bill calling for the execution of rebel soldiers.
“We will put forward a motion, which will demand the execution of those who have been involved in the coup attempt," Muezzinoglu said on Twitter.
On Saturday, the hashtag #Idamistiyorum (I want death penalty) was the top trend on Twitter in Turkey.
"Now the clean-up operations are continuing. We have around 6,000 people detained. The number will increase above 6,000," the Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim, was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency earlier in the day.
The crackdown has included at least 3,000 soldiers being arrested and 2,700 judges sacked.
At least 265 people were killed in clashes as the coup failed, just over a 100 of them coup plotters, the government has said. At least 1,400 people have been injured so far.
In related developments, Egypt blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning the coup, Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected meet in the first week of August, and the US has hit back angrily at claims by at least one Turkish government minister that American was involved in the coup.
Turkey is still seeking Gulen’s extradition as well as that of eight military officers who fled to Greece seeking political asylum after it was clear the coup was failing.
Maybe we should pack up Incirlik and get out.
I suspect that a lot of the people who are being arrested for complicity are VERY surprised. Probably among those who tried to stop the coup.
This is an old fashioned political purge, they’re prepping up for an Islamic state overthrow and the mullahocracy.
eyes front people!
This is not good
Erdogan is going to trash Turkeys constitution and declare allegiance to the caliphate.......just my gut feeling
Mustafa Kamal is spinning in his grave.
My bet is he declares himself Caliph.
Forget caliph, he might go for Sultan
The NATO Caliph.
"Turkey’s reaction last night was that of a mature democracy. The West's was that of corrupted democracy tainted by its support of autocracy"
Not what we in the west want to hear.
Why, it’s almost like Erdogan supports ISIS.
Erdogan was out of country. His return had already given the anti-coup forces time to regroup as he was hailed as the LIVING leader upon his arrival.
The coup employed bad strategy and showed poor planning for contingencies. Now people will really die.
Wow. Incirlik commander and 10 military personal arrested. Must have been a hairy situayion at Incirlik. US says ISIS attacks continue, but the situation cannot be anywhere close to normal after this.
Interesting, I wonder what angle Erdogan will pursue, IF they meet?
Is the commander a Turk?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Estrogen to 0bama: “Give us Gulen, and we’ll give your base back. If no deal, shelling begins ...”
Yup
Aka an anti CHRIST
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