Think-tank notes Anadolu Agency's role in foiling coup

ANKARA

Anadolu Agency played a key role in preventing the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey, a Turkish think-tank said in its report Friday.

In the report titled "Media in July 15 Coup Attempt", the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) said: "Anadolu Agency has played one of the key roles in preventing the coup attempt.

"With its centenarian history, Anadolu Agency, which has borne witness to breaking points of the history of the republic, provided its broadcast feed to national news channels during the coup attempt," the report said.

The report was made by Sertac Timur Demir, an academic at the Gumushane University.

Anadolu Agency faced the threat of being occupied by coup plotters on July 15, the report noted.

Turkey accuses Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which is led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, of organizing the July 15 coup attempt as well as a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

The defeated coup left 241 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.

*Reporting by Hasan Huseyin Kulaoglu; Writing by Emin Avundukluoglu