Turkey sends note to Germany over prime coup suspect

Turkey sent a diplomatic note to Germany on Wednesday asking him to confirm whether media reports, which claim that prime suspect in Turkey’s last year coup Adil Öksüz is in Germany, are accurate and to return him back to Turkey in case he is found there.

کد خبر: ۷۲۲۱۲۸

تاریخ: ۲۵ مرداد ۱۳۹۶ - ۱۴:۰۶

The pro-government Yeni Şafak daily claimed last Wednesday that Adil Öksüz, the prime civilian suspect in the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, has received temporary residence in Germany.

The diplomatic note sent to Germany said Öksüz was seen in different cities of Germany as reported in the Turkish media and asked Germany whether they had any information about it.

While German Foreign Ministry sources had previously said they had no information concerning whereabouts of Öksüz, Turkey asked Germany to catch and return Öksüz, who is a key coup suspect, in case he is found in Germany.

According to the Turkey’s pro-government daily reports, Öksüz, who was detained on the night of the coup and later released by a court, was taken to Germany by two people. He was seen in Frankfurt and Ulm and requested temporary residence in the state of Baden-Württemberg. The daily claims that German police approved Öksüz’s application but did not officially register his name.

The pro-Erdoğan daily’s report came three days after main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said Adil Öksüz was working for MİT, asking the government to clarify questions concerning the coup attempt.

Turkish government claims that before the July 2016 coup attempt, Öksüz traveled to the US, where he visited Fethullah Gülen, who has inspired Gülen movement. Photographs of Öksüz and his child with Gülen at the Golden Generation Retreat and Recreation Center Pennsylvania where the Turkish cleric has been living since 1999 have appeared in the Turkish press as proof of Gülen’s personal involvement in the coup bid.

"When you consider Adil Öksüz, they found him somewhere, I don’t remember where it was, and then they released him, and then there turned out be a tie between him and Turkish intelligence,” Gülen said in an interview with France24 last month.

Turkish government accuses faith-based Gülen movement of mounting the botched coup attempt while Gülen denies any involvement.