Turkish intel informed top generals hours before coup attempt, says army

Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) informed the country’s top generals hours before the coup attempt was initiated by a group of soldiers within the army on July 15, while Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar evaluated the information and issued all necessary warnings and orders against “this despicable and miserable attempt,” according to a statement published on the General Staff’s official website on July 19.

Beginning the statement by announcing that the attempts of the “terrorist traitors who are members of an illegal gang [the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization - FETÖ] and who have nestled into the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK]” had been suppressed as of July 17 at 4:00 p.m. throughout the country, the General Staff continued by denouncing any relation between this group and the “flag-loving, overwhelming majority” within the army.

“The information given by the National Intelligence Organization on July 15, 2016, at around 4:00 p.m. was evaluated at the General Staff headquarters with the attendance of Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar, Chief of the Army General Salih Zeki Çolak and Deputy Chief of Staff  General Yaşar Güler,” said the statement, elaborating on the precaution orders given regarding the end of mobility of all military vehicles including tanks, planes, helicopters and concerning the return of the ones currently mobilized to posts.

The statement also added that Gen. Akar was threatened and forced to sign and read out on TV the “treason document, so-called declaration” and that the chief of staff had rejected these demands with “statements that include curses and with dander and firmly.”

The statement said the “answer deserved” was given to the pro-coup group with the immediate action of the TSK’s “real sons” and the “hero police members” as well as with the “noble nation’s wide understanding and heroic defiance.”

In the statement it was also stressed the perpetrators would be punished in the firmest way and therefore the belief persisted that the people would make the best distinction between these “terrorist traitors” and the TSK’s “heroic and devoted members.”