Pilot admits bombing Turkish parliament during coup

ANKARA

A Turkish military pilot has told prosecutors investigating the July 15 coup attempt he was the person who bombed the country’s parliament.

In testimony seen by Anadolu Agency, Lieutenant Colonel Hasan Husnu Balikci – who was based at the 4th Main Jet Base Akinci during the coup attempt – told prosecutors he himself fired on the parliament building in Ankara, dropping a laser-guided bomb (LGB).

The Grand National Assembly premises were severely damaged during the putsch attempt.

Balikci said Flight Lieutenant Ahmet Tosun told him to be ready to fly and to take off with Flight Lieutenant Ugur Uzunoglu. Balikci added that after taking off, Lieutenant Tosun gave him the order to bomb the parliament's garden area.

"The order’s suggested coordinates was the parliament's garden.

"Then Lieutenant Ugur researched the coordinates' back and front area. He investigated the area for where we could bomb the most convenient place," Balikci said.

Balikci said in his testimony that he thought the order was first made by Colonel Ahmet Ozcetin, 4th Base Operations Commander.

"Lieutenant Tosun gave the order as 'open fire'. Then I left the place after bombing the area with an LGB bomb," Balikci said.

The July 15 coup attempt martyred at least 238 and wounded nearly 2,200 people who had taken to the streets to protest.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the coup attempt was organized by the followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen.

Gulen is also accused of implementing a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

He has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. since 1999 and he is accused of leading the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO.