Senior Turkish army officers remanded over coup attempt

By Volkan Kasik

MALATYA, Turkey

Two senior generals said to have been key plotters in last July’s coup attempt were remanded in custody to face trial on Tuesday, a judicial official said.

Maj. Gen. Avni Angun, the 2nd Army’s chief of staff, and his deputy Brig. Ersin Yildirim are accused of membership of a terrorist organization and “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order”, the official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Both are said to be members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) that is accused of planning the July 15 attempted coup that resulted in 249 deaths.

Angun is said to have been assigned as a “martial commander” should the coup have succeeded while Yildirim is accused of using the ByLock messenger application that is said to have been used by FETO supporters.

The 2nd Army’s headquarters in Malatya, eastern Turkey, are said to have played a key role in the coup attempt.