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| Turkey coup attempt: Rebel jets had Erdogan's plane in their sights but did not fire, officials claim | |
| (3 days later) | |
| Turkish fighter jets had President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plane in their sights at the height of the attempt to overthrow him, but they did not fire. | Turkish fighter jets had President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plane in their sights at the height of the attempt to overthrow him, but they did not fire. |
| The Turkish president was returning to Istanbul from a holiday near the coastal resort of Marmaris after a faction in the military launched a coup attempt on Friday night. | |
| "At least two F-16s harassed Erdogan's plane while it was in the air and en route to Istanbul," a former military officer told Reuters. "They locked their radars on his plane and on two other F-16s protecting him." | "At least two F-16s harassed Erdogan's plane while it was in the air and en route to Istanbul," a former military officer told Reuters. "They locked their radars on his plane and on two other F-16s protecting him." |
| "Why they didn't fire is a mystery," he added. | "Why they didn't fire is a mystery," he added. |
| A senior Turkish official confirmed to Reuters that President Erdogan's Gulfstream IV jet was harassed while flying to Istanbul by two F-16s commandeered by the coup plotters. | A senior Turkish official confirmed to Reuters that President Erdogan's Gulfstream IV jet was harassed while flying to Istanbul by two F-16s commandeered by the coup plotters. |
| Another senior official also told the agency the presidential business jet had been "in trouble in the air" but gave no further details. | Another senior official also told the agency the presidential business jet had been "in trouble in the air" but gave no further details. |
| Flight tracking websites showed the jet taking off from Dalaman airport, about an hour and a quarter's drive from Marmaris, around 10.40pm (GMT) on Friday. | Flight tracking websites showed the jet taking off from Dalaman airport, about an hour and a quarter's drive from Marmaris, around 10.40pm (GMT) on Friday. |
| It later circled in what appeared to be a holding pattern just south of Istanbul - around the time a Reuters witness at the airport reported still hearing bursts of gunfire - before coming in to land. | It later circled in what appeared to be a holding pattern just south of Istanbul - around the time a Reuters witness at the airport reported still hearing bursts of gunfire - before coming in to land. |
| Following the failed coup, the government moved swiftly to shore up President Erdogan's power and remove those perceived as an enemy, saying on Sunday it had detained 6,000 people. | Following the failed coup, the government moved swiftly to shore up President Erdogan's power and remove those perceived as an enemy, saying on Sunday it had detained 6,000 people. |
| The crackdown targeted not only generals and soldiers, but a wide swathe of the judiciary that has sometimes blocked Mr Erdogan, raising concerns that the effort to oust him will push Turkey even further into authoritarian rule. | The crackdown targeted not only generals and soldiers, but a wide swathe of the judiciary that has sometimes blocked Mr Erdogan, raising concerns that the effort to oust him will push Turkey even further into authoritarian rule. |
| Conspiracy theorists are saying the attempted military coup was faked, comparing it to the Reichstag fire - the 1933 arson attack on the German parliament building used by Hitler as an excuse to suspend civil liberties and order mass arrests of his opponents. | Conspiracy theorists are saying the attempted military coup was faked, comparing it to the Reichstag fire - the 1933 arson attack on the German parliament building used by Hitler as an excuse to suspend civil liberties and order mass arrests of his opponents. |
| Some of the soldiers detained following the coup reportedly told interrogators they were not aware they were part of a coup attempt and had been told by commanders they were taking part in military manoeuvres. | Some of the soldiers detained following the coup reportedly told interrogators they were not aware they were part of a coup attempt and had been told by commanders they were taking part in military manoeuvres. |
| The swift rounding up of judges and others allegedly involved in the coup indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey's membership bid said. | The swift rounding up of judges and others allegedly involved in the coup indicated the government had prepared a list beforehand, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey's membership bid said. |
| "It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage," Johannes Hahn said. | "It looks at least as if something has been prepared. The lists are available, which indicates it was prepared and to be used at a certain stage," Johannes Hahn said. |
| "I'm very concerned. It is exactly what we feared." | "I'm very concerned. It is exactly what we feared." |
| Observers said the scale of the crackdown, especially against the judiciary, indicated the government was taking the opportunity to further consolidate Mr Erdogan's power. | Observers said the scale of the crackdown, especially against the judiciary, indicated the government was taking the opportunity to further consolidate Mr Erdogan's power. |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |