Terror groups paved way for July 15 coup bid

WASHINGTON (AA) - The attempted July 15 coup in Turkey was not only organized by followers of Fetullah Gulen, but assisted by former terrorist acts, a former Turkish Armed Forces major said Friday.

Speaking in Washington, Mete Yarar told attendees at an event organized by the Turkish-American Steering Committee that roughly 20,000 people were involved in the coup bid. He said the putschists had spent at least a year developing their well-structured plan.

Terrorist attacks, including those blamed on the PKK and Daesh, helped pave the way for the coup attempt, he said, arguing that the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) hoped to capitalize on an atmosphere of fear.

"FETO is not the only responsible group for the July 15 coup attempt, there are a couple other organizations that are involved," he said in remarks translated from Turkish, pointing to the PKK and Daesh. "What they have done completes each other."

Led by U.S.-based Gulen, FETO is accused of orchestrating the July 15 coup plot in Turkey as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The July 15 defeated coup left 248 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

A total of 6,341 soldiers have been arrested under FETO probes, including 168 army generals, 7,596 Security Directorate police officers, 17 governors, 74 deputy governors, and 69 district governors under the Interior Ministry.

Yarar warned FETO's full international structure is not yet known, and called for it to be completely dismantled.

He further said that FETO has staged smaller subversive takeovers in Turkish institutions.

Since the bloody coup attempt, 2,279 administrative and judicial judges, 104 members of the Appeals Court, 41 members of the Council of State, two members of the Supreme Court, and three members of the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) have been arrested in ongoing probes.