Headline

Turkey: President Erdogan Trying To Take Control Over Military & Intelligence.

On Saturday, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he wanted to introduce constitutional changes to bring the Turkish spy agency and military chief of staff directly under his control because he seeks to tighten his grip on the Turkey after the failed coup.

Ankara: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a group of lawmakers from the ruling party at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, July 22, 2016. Parliament voted 346-115 to approve the national state of emergency, which gives sweeping new powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had been accused of autocratic conduct even before this week's crackdown on alleged opponents. Erdogan has said the state of emergency will counter threats to Turkish democracy. AP/PTI(AP7_23_2016_000041A)

In an interview Erdogan told A-Haber TV that We are going to introduce a small constitutional changes to parliament. If it is approved by the parliament then military Chief of Staff and the National Intelligence Organisation comes under the control of the president of Turkey.

Turkish President Erdogan also added that in the wake of the 15th July failed coup, military schools will be closed and a national military university will be founded as part of a wide-ranging shake-up of the military.

He also said that in future the chief of the land, sea and air forces will have to report directly to Defence Minister Fikri Isik.

This changes aimed at giving President Erdogan more control over the armed forces and intelligence of the country.

Turkish President Erdogan said that he was unhappy with the information received from the intelligence bureau and its chief Hakan Fidan on the night of the coup. Erdogan complained that valuable time had been lost.

On Thursday, Turkey already reshuffled the upper echelons of its military because about half of its 358 generals were ruled out for complicity in the coup.

On Saturday, a senior official said that Turkey had intercepted encrypted messages sent by the followers of Gulen on the app ByLock right before the coup attempt.

But Gulen denies any involvement in the coup attempt.

President Erdogan also said that a three-month state of emergency declared in the wake of the coup attempt in the country.

Erdogan said that If the things in the country do not return to normal in the state of emergency then we could extend it like France.

The president said that until now  10,137 out of 18,699 people who had been detained in the post-coup crackdown, placed under arrest.

Anadolu news agency said that Istanbul court send 17 journalists in custody over links to Gulen. On Friday, 21 journalists had appeared before a judge in hearings lasting until midnight. 4 of them were freed but the rest were placed under pre-trial arrest.

Bulent mumay who is one of the four freed journalists said that It is not right to arrest journalists, this country should not make the same mistakes again.

President of Turkey Erdogan has complained loudly about the lack of Western solidarity for Turkey. On Saturday, but he met with Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed Abdulrahman al-Thani.

 

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