Kılıçdaroğlu's sensational ‘controlled coup’ and Adil Öksüz comment: 2014

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu made assessments about the latest developments on a live NTV broadcast. CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu had the following to say about his ‘controlled coup’ comment that is on everyone’s lips:

‘Was there a coup attempt on 15 July? There was. 248 people laid down their lives. Did four political parties come out in opposition? They did. What befalls to us? To bring this coup to light in all its detail. Not to cover up the coup. What did we do? We submitted a proposal to parliament and said let’s set up a coup investigation commission. Let’s set up a 15 July Coup Attempt Investigation Commission. First, they hummed and hawed, but they were unable to resist – the atmosphere at the time was very conducive towards this and the government said “Yes” to this. The commission was set up in the end. So far, so good. There was talk of Yenikapı and we went to Yenikapı. I said at Yenikapı under twelve points what needed to be done for Turkey never to encounter a coup attempt again.

‘THE CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCY UNDERSECRETARY ARE NOT APPEARING BEFORE THE COMMISSION’

The coup commission convened. The coup commission did not do its duty in the manner we had wished for. Why? I wanted answers in the name of the 248 fallen who shed their blood. If a ruling political party does not make a coup attempt commission function and does not invite the people we wish for, what are we to do? We will question the government’s sincerity, won’t we? Special Forces commander Zekai Aksakallı makes the comment, his statement, that in the Turkish Armed Forces as soon as information is received about crises and exceptional circumstances, the order is given for personnel not to leave barracks. The officer continues, “This basic and simple rule that is always implemented was not implemented on 15 July 2016 as soon as the first news was received.” Why? Am I not to ask this? Who am I going to ask this to? There are two paramount figures and we are inviting them to the commission. The CHP MPs insist that they should come and make statement. The Chief of the General Staff and Intelligence Agency Undersecretary. We are going to ask why this basic rule was not implemented. They are blocked and are not appearing before the commission. Who is blocking them? The government. Now this government is holding me to account. Why do you not bring these people before the Parliamentary Coup Investigation Commission? Why are you blocking them? Am I not to ask this? If I don’t ask this, the 248 fallen will have shed their blood for nothing. If I don’t ask this, this coup will be hushed up. They say to me, “Why do you call this a controlled coup attempt?” and what am I to say, for heaven’s sake? If a government prevents a coup attempt from coming into the open, what am I to say to that? What do they want me to say? Let them tell me and that’s what I’ll say. Is it this blunt? It is this blunt.

‘NOW WHERE DO WE STAND?’

Who is officer Aksakallı? Officer Aksakallı is the person who gave Ömer Halisdemir - Ömer Halisdemir, one of the main actors who blocked the coup attempt - the order to kill the coupist officer Semih. Now where do we stand? I say to all citizens: Put your hand on your conscience and speak and think. If I am not to investigate this matter, what am I to do?

‘IT WAS TURNED INTO AN INDICTMENT THAT IS TAINTED WITH FALSEHOODS’

The prosecutor who drafted the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organisation (FETO) indictment has been removed from his post. Why? Why does this indictment go to the Minister of Justice and why is this indictment purged of content? What am I to say when a prosecutor who is pressing for the rights of 248 fallen is removed from his post? Who removes this prosecutor from his post? The ruling political party cannot say that it does not know. Nor can the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors. Who removed this prosecutor from his post and what did this prosecutor do? The indictment was purged of content. It was turned into an indictment that is tainted with falsehoods. After the coup commission had been set up and had operated for a while, we realised that the government wants to close this affair. It wants to stop it from jumping to certain places. In fact, all these things that are said strengthen us in this conviction of ours. You remove the prosecutor on this indictment from his post and you purge the indictment of content, so who’s to blame? The mastermind. Who is this mastermind? It isn’t in the indictment. If it is such-and-such a country or if it is such-and-such a person, name them. Can an indictment be tainted with falsehoods? Is a coup attempt being defended premised on falsehoods? How am I to press for the rights of these 248 fallen? What am I to say about this coup attempt? Where is the government in all this? We are holding them to account and they have stopped giving account and are holding us to account. By asking why we ask these questions. I am asking these questions for the 248 fallen. I am asking so that there may not be a coup in Turkey again. I am asking these questions, not to benefit from the coup, but for everyone who has suffered harm.’

‘I SAID THAT THOSE WHO LYNCHED SOLDIERS MUST BE HELD TO ACCOUNT’

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu replied as follows to the question, ‘What if the coup attempt had succeeded?’:
‘It was a coup attempt that was doomed to failure. If, when you need to give the order for soldiers not to go out onto the street at times of crisis, the most basic rule, you don’t give the order and send soldiers onto the street, what happens? There are soldiers who were lynched. There are soldiers who had no blame. I said at the palace, and we were all grown-ups around the table, I said we have all done our military service. The commander orders and the soldier does what’s called for and doesn’t question. This has been the Turkish military system ever since Metehan. I said that those who lynched soldiers must be held to account and prosecuted. Have there been any prosecutions? Why are there no prosecutions? Am I not to ask questions on behalf of those blameless soldiers?

‘IT SAYS, PRIOR TO THE COUP, THAT FETO HAS AN ARMED FORMATION’

On 06.06.2016, prior to the coup. I’ll give its number, as well: Indictment number 2016/24769, the FETO indictment. What does it say in this indictment? It says, prior to the coup, that FETO/PDY has an armed formation consisting of its members within the Forces Command, Gendarmerie and Police organisations and attached to a hierarchy separate from the state numbering in the tens of thousands. The prosecutor says this and it is in the indictment submitted to the court. It says, prior to the coup, that FETO has acquired the armed strength to change or overthrow the constitutional order and is the only organised force capable of conducting a military coup. I read from the same indictment that the threat of FETO/PDY attempting a coup is apparent and immediate. Is the government unaware of this? It is not. Two members of the Constitutional court are currently in jail based on this indictment. What does it say? It has attained the strength to be capable of a coup. Was this coup attempt blocked? It was not. They were aware of this and cannot conceal it. All this was identified in full by the public prosecution prior to the coup.’

‘THEY DIDN’T INCLUDE OUR GROUP CONSULTANTS IN THE DRAFTING OF THE REPORT’

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu, saying, ‘Why does the government want to hush up this coup attempt?’ continued as follows:
‘The coup commission was set up and its report is not being given to CHP and other members of parliament and Coup Commission members. Why? After 16 April. What is the reason? Why is it not given now? What connection does the coup report have with 16 April? In the interest of the truth not coming out. We have not one but more than one file. One of these files of ours is the file we will submit to this coup commission. All these details and more will be in that file. We have separate files to do with the courts. This is the file we will submit to the coup commission. In submitting this to the coup commission, everything, all discussions and details that are here are included. The Coup Commission Chair isn’t giving us the report. I’ll give you another detail. The Coup Commission sat and reached agreement among themselves. At the drafting stage of the report, the CHP’s group consultants and also the AK Party’s, MHP’s and HDP’s group consultants were going to draft it together, because we are all in opposition to the coup. They abandoned that. They didn’t include our group consultants in the drafting of the report. Why? We are opposed to the coup and they are opposed to the coup as well. Why didn’t they include us? What is the reason? Will you tell me what kind of government this is? It says it is opposed to the coup but wants to hush up the coup. Why? What is the reason?’

‘EVERYONE’S PHONES ARE TAKEN BUT ADIL ÖKSÜZ’S PHONES ARE NOT’

Kılıçdaroğlu, also referring to Adil Öksüz in his comments, said the following:
‘I am the first one to have mentioned Adil Öksüz’s name on a TV programme. I said that an eye needed to be kept on him. Initially, I faced another barrage of assaults. Now, they are starting to speak of him. Who is Adil Öksüz? He uses two mobile phones and he has a GPS device. Everyone’s phones are taken but Adil Öksüz’s phones are not. Adil Öksüz is released, and so are his GPS device and phones. Why? I want the government to answer this. This question is one for the government. I ask all of these questions and the government, instead of answering, accuses me. And I say to the government, if my claims are inappropriate and incorrect, come out and say such-and-such a question is wrong, the answer to such-and-such a question is this. Let them tell me, “You say this but it isn’t true,” but they can’t. All they do is say we had this number of fallen, this coup happened. If you are not asking questions in the name of those who shed their blood, I am. I say let there be no coup again in this country and you are hushing up the coup. Let them say they are not, let them say they are not hushing it up. If they say so, then why did you not summon the most important figures in the coup before the Coup Investigation Commission? Why did you block them from appearing? I am obliged to ask this.’

HE RECALLED THE AMENDMENT MADE IN 2014

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu, posing the question, ‘Which state entity imported the GPS device that was in Adil Öksüz’s possession, said:
‘It’s a simple question. A question about something that somebody must know. Very simple. The prime-minister’s office will give an instruction and will look into which state entity imported the GPS devices. I’m asking. Let them say, “Adil Öksüz is not in possession of any such device,” but he is. “He doesn’t have two phones,” but he does. “He didn’t make a call,” but he did. Everybody was in handcuffs, but he wasn’t handcuffed. Why? Let me tell you. An amendment was made to the intelligence service law in 2014. Without the prime-minister’s order and instruction, no intelligence service functionary can be detained or arrested. Why was Adil Öksüz not arrested or detained? They will say, “We knew nothing about this”.

‘THEY CANNOT SAY THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW ADIL ÖKSÜZ’

I am obliged to ask these questions. If only Mr Binali Yıldırım were in front of me so I could ask him and Binali Yıldırım could supply his answer to me. They are reluctant to come on television with me, but they come out at rallies and accuse me. They say unfavourable things about me at rallies. Either full details of this coup will come into the open or I will ask these questions in all settings and in all places. They cannot say that they do not know Adil Öksüz. Why not? Let me tell you. A prosecutor was drafting an indictment before the coup. It was stated in the indictment that Adil Öksüz was the Navy’s ‘prayer leader’. Then, in another indictment, it was stated that he was the Air Force’s ‘prayer leader’. I mean, Adil Öksüz’s is not a name that is unknown. If I don’t bring up his name, they will completely hush him up, too. Who is this Adil Öksüz? Has he died, or not? Is he alive? Who is this man? Where does he derive his power from? Fob me off by saying, ‘Actually, we have opened an inquiry into him’ but don’t expect me to fall for it. What does it mean that they’ve opened an inquiry. The full might of the Republic of Turkey is unable to know where Adil Öksüz is, whom it released with two phones and a GPS device, but opens an investigation. Are they kidding us? Such a thing is inconceivable.’

‘ARE YOU TAKING IN KIDS?’

CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu made the following comment about the coup’s political arm:
‘Mr Binali Yıldırım made a comment: ‘The coup had no political arm.’ For heaven’s sake, are they taking in kids? Did these coupists not want to rule the country? Had the coupists prevailed, there would have been no president or prime-minister. Perhaps parliament would have been closed, perhaps we would have been in jail, a new government would have been formed and there would have been a new prime-ministerial undersecretary, ministers, president and candidates. We saw the 12 March 71 coup. We also saw the 12 September coup. We saw what the coupists’ goal was. There is to be a coup attempt, there are to be thick files, books and brochures, but the coup is not to have a political arm. Why? I don’t believe that. Do you believe it? The coup has a civil servants’, trade unionists’, exporters’, employers’, sweet pasty sellers’ and chocolate sellers’ arm, so does it have a political arm? Are you taking in kids, for heaven’s sake?’

‘WHY DOES THIS GOVERNMENT NOT COME PUBLIC ABOUT THE FETO MEMBERS?’

Kılıçdaroğlu had the following to say about the claims over ByLock-using MPs:
‘An important piece of evidence in their hands are the ByLock lists. Why do they not make the ByLock lists public? (The claim that there are 120-180 ByLock-user members of parliament:) Maybe there are more. If each ByLock user is a FETO member, why does this government not come public about the FETO members? Think, the police are making raids in some places and apprehending terrorists. The newspapers, arms and books found in their homes and the terrorists’ names are published. They have the ByLock list in their hands so why do they not make it public? What is the reason for not doing so? Why don’t they do so? They turn to us and say, “The CHP supports the FETO crowd,’ and we say quite calmly and dignifiedly that, “You have the list not us, we are not the state and you are and we don’t have an intelligence agency but you have an intelligence agency. The ByLock lists are in your hand. Why don’t you come public with them? Why are you concealing the terrorists? Is it not a crime to conceal terrorists? Why don’t you come public?’

‘WHO WAS TO BE PRIME-MINISTER?’

Kılıçdaroğlu commented as follows regarding Prime-Minister Binali Yıldırım’s pronouncements that there was no MP who used ByLock:
‘Let it be made public, then. If there are no MPs, why are they keeping it secret? Are they afraid of the cake maker? They sacked the civil servants and judges who used ByLock. Can you conceive of it? A coup is staged and it has every arm but no political arm. Who was to be the prime-minister? Who was to be his undersecretary? Who is the force behind them? Look, I’ll give you the example of Kadri Gürsel. I read the Cumhuriyet indictment and there are records of his communications with 92 people who are ByLock user suspects and 21 people who are under investigation in connection with the FETO/PDY armed terrorist organisation. A journalist is in jail just now because in one way or another he spoke on the phone to 92 ByLock users. This is in the indictment. Who are these 92 people? Why is this not made known? What is the reason for not making it known? The big sister of an AKP Trabzon MP was sacked. The brother or sister of a Kilis MP, of a Hatay MP, of a Kırıkkale MP, of an Aydın MP, of a Sakarya MP and the relatives of a Kayseri MP and the Mayor’s son-in-law - they are all ByLock users. Kadri Gürsel is in jail and they are all on the outside. What sort of justice are we speaking of and in what way are they countering the coup? Somebody needs to come out and explain this.

‘IF THERE ARE 215,000 PEOPLE, MAKE THEM KNOWN’

Do you know how many people there are? The number of ByLock users is 215,092. According to his excellency the prime-minister, there is not a single politician among them. Are they toying with our intelligence? Is this even remotely conceivable? If there are 215,000 people, make them known. Are we not calling them coupists and terrorists? Make it public. They tell us, “You support FETO” so, make it public, brother, and make known who supports them and who doesn’t. Why don’t you make it public? They accuse me. Why are they accusing me? Why are they accusing me for coming out with these things? If I didn’t raise my voice at all, if I were like Mr Devlet Bahçeli, they would be delighted and would hold me in high regard. They’d say, “Well done, congratulations Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, great stuff, you’re not bothering with these things at all.” Fine, but who will ask questions in the name of these fallen who have shed blood? Isn’t it a crying shame? I will ask. I have a conscience, morality, belief, love of the country and love of and respect for democracy. This government, and chiefly his excellency the president, want to hush this coup attempt up. They want to cover it up. They don’t want it delved into in depth. Because in the end it will lead to them.’