3 soldiers remanded over Turkey coup bid hotel attack

By Durmus Genc

MUGLA, Turkey

Three soldiers accused of taking part in an attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vacation hotel on the night of the July 15 coup bid were remanded in custody Saturday.

A court in the southwestern province of Mugla ordered Command Sgt. Majs. Zekeriya Kuzu and Abdulhamit Gulerden and Tech. Sgt. Erkan Cikat be transferred to Ankara.

They were arrested Monday over their alleged involvement in the attack in Marmaris, Mugla, where Erdogan was vacationing when the attempted coup was launched.

The helicopter assault on the Grand Yazici Marmaris Hotel was launched minutes after Erdogan had left for Istanbul. Two police officers were killed in the ensuing gun battle before the renegade troops fled the area.

At least 21 suspected members of the assault team -- who are believed to have been ordered to capture or kill Erdogan -- have been remanded in custody to face trial.

Turkish citizens took the streets on the night of July 15 to block the coup attempt following Erdogan's call to take to the streets.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly coup attempt, which martyred more than 230 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, was organized by U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen's followers and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Gulen is also accused of 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.

Turkey declared a state of emergency following the overthrow attempt.

Approximately 13,000 members of the military, police, and judiciary, as well as civil servants, have been detained since the failed putsch, and tens of thousands more removed from their posts.

* Diyar Guldogan contributed to this report from Ankara.