ISTANBUL: Turkey has detained a total of 112 generals and

admirals and thousands of judges besides suspending 8,000

policemen in the wake of the failed coup aimed at overthrowing
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media said on Monday.
The top military figures have been detained in sweeps across the country
after Fridays attempted putsch, the Anadolu news agency said, in what
appears to be a major purge of the armed forces. They are now being
taken to courts to decide on remanding them in custody.
Ten generals have already been remanded in custody ahead of trial, the
Dogan news agency said. Those detained are accused of seeking to
violate the Turkish constitution and attempting to overthrow the
authorities by force. They are also accused of belonging to what the
authorities call the Fethullahci Terror Organisation (FETO) led by Fethullah
Gulen, the exiled US-based preacher who Erdogan blames for the coup.
Gulens supporters say their group, which they call Hizmet (Service), is
entirely peaceful.Meanwhile, a senior security official said 8,000 cops have
been removed across the country, including in Istanbul and the capital
Ankara, due to alleged links with the failed coup attempt.
Anadolu news agency quoting the interior ministry said 9,000 officials
have been dismissed so far. A total of 8,777 public personnel, including
7,899 police, one provincial governor and 29 governors of towns have
been dismissed, the ministry said. They also include 614 members of the
police force that looks after domestic security, it added.
Meanwhile, Turkeys Western allies have warned against reinstating the
death penalty.The United States and European Union have sternly warned
Erdogan against excessive retribution. German Chancellor Angela Merkels
spokesman denounced revolting scenes of caprice and revenge against
soldiers on the streets after disturbing pictures emerged of the treatment
of some detained suspects.
The authorities have also detained General Mehmet Disli, who conducted
the operation to capture chief-of-staff Hulusi Akar during the stand-off, an
official said.
We also urge the government of Turkey to uphold thehighest standards of
respect for the nations democratic institutions and the rule of law, US
Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters after talks with EU foreign
ministers.

Responding to the criticism, Yildirim said the plotters would be brought to

account but Turkey would act within the law.EU foreign affairs chief
Federica Mogherini said, Let me be very clear... no country can become
an EU state if it introduces the death penalty.
Yildirim said it would be wrong to act in haste, calling for a
parliamentary debate on the issue. There has also been concern about the
nature of the arrests which have appeared aimed at humiliating the
suspects.
Anadolu published pictures of the arrest of former air force commander
Akin Ozturk, who was described as the main plotter of the rebellion, bent
forwards, facing a wall with hands tied behind his back.
Turkish prosecutors on Monday also started questioning 27 generals and
admirals over the failed coup attempt, the state-run media
reported.Anadolu said the group includes Akin Ozturk, who has been
described as the ringleader of the foiled uprising and also confessing to
his role in the rebellion.
Ozturk has denied he was involved and in statements he made to Turkish
media insisted he worked to quell Fridays uprising. He served as head of
the air force until 2015 and is a member of High Military Council (YAS), the
top body overseeing the armed forces.
Ozturk was among thousands of soldiers detained, pictured on Sunday in
handcuffs wearing a striped polo shirt at Ankara police headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Turkish government ordered police forces around the
country to down any helicopters without warning while President Erdogan
said he ordered all the countrys F-16 jet planes to patrol the countrys
airspace.
The news came hours after Turkish security forces clashed with coupplotters resisting arrest at Istanbuls second airport, and at an airbase in
central Turkey.
Meanwhile, a Greek court will Thursday decide the fate of eight Turkish
military officers who fled across the border by helicopter after the failed
coup in Turkey and who Ankara wants to see extradited.
The turbulence has raised concern about the stability of Turkey, a key
Nato member which is also part of the international coalition against
Islamic State militants in Syria. It has also hit financial markets, with the
lira at one point losing five percent in value against the dollar although it
rallied slightly on Monday.

Yildirim said 208 people were killed during the coup bid, including 145
civilians, 60 police and three loyalist soldiers. In addition, the military said
104 coup plotters were killed.