Turkey sends new evidence to US over key FETO suspect

By Kemal Karadag

ANKARA

The Turkish Justice Ministry has sent new evidence to the U.S. showing that a key Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) suspect Hakan Cicek spoke directly to Fetullah Gulen during and before the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, according to sources from the judiciary.

The new evidence compiled as part of a probe conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office shows that Cicek directly spoke to Gulen on a cellphone via a FETO member code-named “Eczaci Abdi” (translated Pharmacist Abdi).

According to the content of the calls, Gulen was permanently informed from 8.00 p.m. Turkish time on July 15, 2016. Still according to the evidence compiled, Gulen also conveyed his instructions regarding the coup attempt.

The Turkish government says the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Last week, Turkish security units had found cellphones dumped near an airbase in the capital Ankara which, they said, belonged to FETO second-in-command Kemal Batmaz and Hakan Cicek, mentioned above.

The investigation was linked to the Akinci airbase trial, a key trial over the coup attempt.

The report compiled this week by security forces says Cicek contacted the suspect "Eczaci Abdi (Pharmacist Abdi)" located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania immediately before the coup attempt, and spoke to him for three minutes and 51 seconds via the FaceTime application.

IT specialists also found out that Cicek spoke to Esat Turkoglu, son of key FETO figure Cevdet Turkoglu, in the U.S. for 35 seconds.

Cicek later text messaged another suspect named "Hkn Ada Avukat", who lives in the same housing complex as FETO leader Fetullah Gulen in the U.S.

The report said: "It was found that the suspect requested instant communication with terror group leader Fetullah Gulen from 'Eczaci Abdi' on July 15."

It also included Cicek's messages for Gulen and a report about the coup attempt on the same night.