Erdogan Arrests 6,000 In Historic "Systemic Purge", Incirlik Airbase Commander Detained
By Tyler Durden
Perhaps the most surprising consequence from Friday’s failed Turkish coup, was the Turkish government’s cutting electricity and suspending operations at the giant US airbase at Incirlik, which not only serves as the focal point of many US anti-ISIS missions, but also houses at least 50 B61 nuclear bombs. However, a piece of the puzzle was revealed today when a Turkish government official said the Turkish commander of the Incirlik air base has been detained. The official said Sunday that Gen. Bekir Ercan Van, 10 other soldiers and one police officer from the Incirlik base are arrested for their role in the botched Friday coup attempt.
The Turkish private DHA news agency showed footage of Van handcuffed and pushed into a van outside a courthouse.
DHA: #Adana‘da #?ncirlikÜssü komutan? Tu?general Bekir Ercan Van ile 10 asker ve bir emniyet müdürü tutukland?. pic.twitter.com/6rQzi8bwsC
— sendika.org (@sendika_org) July 17, 2016
Meanwhile, the counter-coup, this time with the implicit blessing of all western powers, is picking up speed.
Earlier today, according to AP reports, Turkish President Erdogan vowed to “systemically purge” all state institutions of supporters of an Islamist cleric his government blames for Friday’s failed coup attempt. Speaking at a funeral in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan vowed to “clean all state institutions of the virus” of Fethullah Gulen supporters.
he also promised a purge of the armed forces even before the coup attempt was over. “They will pay a heavy price for this,” he said. “This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be a reason to cleanse our army.”
President Erdogan attends funeral for some of those who died in coup attempt in #Turkeyhttps://t.co/AAxFKFPetB https://t.co/6Qz3i7fh00
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 17, 2016
He said Turkey, through the justice ministry and foreign ministry, would request the extradition of the cleric, who is based in the United States, and his backers.
At a rally late on Saturday, his supporters demanded that the coup leaders be executed. “Let’s hang them!” chanted the crowd in Ankara’s central Kizilay square. Erdogan told them that parliament may consider a proposal to bring back the death penalty, which has been abolished. Crowds chanted “Fethullah will come and pay,” ”Allah is Great” and “We want the death penalty.”
Ironically, Erdogan said that in democracies, “you cannot push the wish of the people to one side” but also said “we are not after revenge.”
The cleric, whose movement is labelled a terrorist group by Turkey, has denied any involvement in the coup effort. Yesterday, in an interview with the FT, Gulen accused Erdogan of staging the coup himself.
Whether or not that is true, the aftermath is clear: Erdogan has a green light to arrest virtually anyone he considers a remote threat, starting with the army and the judicial, and is doing just that.
The Turkish government has accelerated its crackdown on alleged plotters of the botched coup against Erdogan, issuing dozens of arrest warrants for judges …read more
Source: Erdogan Arrests 6,000 In Historic "Systemic Purge", Incirlik Airbase Commander Detained
