by WorldTribune Staff, July 18, 2016
The swiftness with which Turkey moved to round up alleged coup plotters indicates President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government had a prepared list of dissidents beforehand, a European Union official 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, the EU commissioner dealing with Turkey’s membership bid, said on July 18.
“I’m very concerned. It is exactly what we feared.”
Turkish authorities on July 17 rounded up some 6,000 alleged coup plotters, including top commanders, foot soldiers, judges and prosecutors.
NTV television said 34 generals of various grades had been detained so far.
“We cannot delay this anymore because in this country, those who launch a coup will have to pay the price for it,” Erdogan told supporters on July 17.
“We will continue to clean the virus from all state bodies because this virus has spread. Unfortunately like a cancer, this virus has enveloped the state.”
Erdogan regime had prepared lists of dissidents in advance of attempted coup added by World Tribune on
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