By Furkan Naci Top

ATHENS

Defying Turkey’s expectations of its neighbor, Greece has granted asylum to yet another ex-Turkish soldier who fled justice, suspected of involvement in the 2016 defeated coup.

A Greek asylum committee Thursday decided to grant asylum to Ugur Ucan, one of the eight former Turkish servicemen who fled to Greece just after the July 15, 2016 defeated coup bid.

Ucan became the third ex-soldier to have been provided asylum after the Greek Council of State also granted this to former soldiers Suleyman Ozkaynakci and Ahmet Guzel in May.

Turkey has complained that in granting asylum, and denying its extradition requests, Greece is effectively protecting terrorists.

Meanwhile, the eight ex-soldiers -- who were released from prison after their 18-month detention period expired -- are now being kept in a house outside of Athens, according to local media.

A few hours after the July 2016 defeated attempt to overthrow the Turkish government, the eight ex-military personnel arrived in Greece on a hijacked Black Hawk helicopter and requested asylum.

Turkey immediately issued an extradition request, which was eventually declined by the Greek Supreme Court in January 2017, after a series of trials and appeals.

The soldiers are accused by Turkish authorities of involvement in the defeated coup and being members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.