Türkkan, has revealed in testimony his allegiance to the suspected
group behind the July 15 failed coup attempt and detailed how his
involvement with the movement began, while also admitting the group had
bugged Turkey’s top commanders.
“I am a son of a poor
family. My dad was a very poor farmer. We did not have any fields,
private gardens. I first met with the Fethullah Gülen movement during my
middle-school years. I was a bright and promising student…” said
Türkkan, who was arrested over alleged links to the Gülenist
organization, adding that he always wanted to be a soldier and that this
“ideal played into the hands of the [Gülenist] community.”
“In
1989 I took the Işıklar Military Academy’s examination. I was sure to
pass it with my own knowledge. My brothers in the community were sure as
well. But they still brought me the questions at midnight before the
exam. Brother Serdar brought the questions. They gave the questions to
me at a community house based in central Bursa,” said Türkkan.
“Yes,
I am a member of the parallel establishment. I am from the Fethullah
Gülen community… After I was brought to the aide-de-camp position at
the General Staff, I started to execute the orders given on behalf of
the community,” said Türkkan.
Türkkan also plead guilty to bugging former Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel with a listening device.
“We
used to listen to Necdet Özel Pasha with a bug all the time. A
‘brother’ working at Turk Telekom provided the device. Once in a week I
was taking the bugs to the ‘brother.’ Bugging was made during the times
of Necdet Özel Pasha, Hulusi Akar Pasha, and Yaşar Giler Pasha. I
learned about the coup on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at around 10:00
[a.m.],” said Türkkan.
Türkan was working as a deputy aide for Özel between 2011 and 2015 and then promoted to the aide position.
“I
used to put the bugging device called the ‘radio,’ which was as big as
two fingertips, in a spot in the room of the pasha every day and take it
while leaving in the evening. It had its own memory. Its battery lasted
for a day… Sometimes there were searches for the bugs in the room of
the Chief of General Staff. Naturally since I knew when these searches
were to take place beforehand, I was not planting them [during those
times].”
“In the afternoon of July 15, I went to Maj. Gen. Mehmet
Dişli’s room. He is a community member as well. He told us that ‘I will
ask the Chief of General Staff if you will be Kenan Evren
or not.’ Dişli was thinking that Akar pasha was going to accept the
offer. But Akar did not accept the offer. Force commanders were not
convinced either,” said Türkkan, adding that Akar was at his post on
July 15 between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and he spoke last with the head
of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), Hakan Fidan.
“After
Fidan left the post, some 20 fully-equipped soldiers from the special
forces entered the headquarters. Dişli was there as well. Five minutes
later, Dişli left and told us ‘enter,’” said Türkkan.