FETO mole in Turkish navy: Murat Sirzai

ANKARA

One of the key plotters of the coup attempt in Turkey in 2016 received an aggravated life sentence for his affiliation with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), getting his due punishment last June for playing a role in the coup.

Former Rear Admiral Murat Sirzai, who once headed the Turkish Navy's intelligence department, joined one of his fellow coup-plotters -- Irfan Arabaci, who was also area admiral -- at a naval headquarters on the night of the July 15 coup attempt, despite having no official assignment on the premises.

Arabaci was also sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.

Claiming Arabaci had taken charge of the base, Sirzai commanded intelligence personnel to support the coup attempt.

Surveillance footage show Sirzai entering the building's bathrooms six times that night between 05.48 a.m. (0248GMT) and 05.58 a.m. (0258GMT) with plastic bags and computer disks, and leaving with empty-handed. In addition, he left a black plastic bag near the bathroom at around 06.00 a.m. (0300GMT).

His name was also included on one of the terror group's lists of figures to be appointed to various official positions after the coup.

Hasan Polat, another senior FETO member who had been in charge of military students affiliated with the terror group, confessed on Aug. 17, 2016, that FETO ringleader Fetullah Gulen himself had decorated Sirzai's uniform with rank symbols as he was promoted.

Following his trial, Sirzai was slapped with an aggravated life sentence for attempting to suppress the constitutional order within the country through his affiliation to the terror group and its coup attempt.

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

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas