The Broadcast Cutoff Scenario

The Broadcast Cutoff Scenario: The Special Forces' Visit to Türksat Facilities (Satellite Operator) 

The Special Forces Command has been one of the most significant institutions involved in many key events throughout Turkey’s history. Testimonies from defendants in various trials revealed that, just a few days before the so-called coup attempt on July 15, Hulusi Akar (Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces at the time), Hakan Fidan (Director of the National Intelligence Organization at the time), and Zekai Aksakallı (Special Forces Commander at the time) gathered at the Special Forces Command late into the night to discuss their planned actions during the so-called coup attemp. 

Trainees’ Intelligence Visit to Türksat 

Testimony from Arıkan, who served as Hulusi Akar’s bodyguard, mentioned an unusual visit that occurred three months before the alleged coup attempt. 

As part of the 4th Term Special Forces training on July 14, 2016, during the Special Operations phase (April-May), a visit to Türksat facilities was organized under the guise of the Unconventional Warfare Training. Colonel Ömer Faruk Bozdemir, who was serving as the Commander of the Special Forces School Command at the time, instructed the cadets to "learn how to cut off Türksat broadcasts as part of the scenario, but to avoid asking directly. The Türksat officials believed it was a cultural visit, so the goal was to learn about broadcast cutoffs without revealing the true intention." 

The Report: Broadcasts Cannot Be Cut Off 

According to the trainees' reports, even in the case of an attack or sabotage on the Türksat facilities, it was concluded that radio or television broadcasts could not be interrupted. Officials presented two alternative solutions for worst-case scenarios, explaining that if the Türksat facility in Gölbaşı (district of Ankara Province) were bombed or rendered non-functional, backup service points in other regions of Turkey would be activated. Furthermore, if the Türksat satellite malfunctioned, frequencies could be requested from satellites of other countries, ensuring that the broadcasts would continue uninterrupted. 

An Example of Psychological Warfare

Based on the information gathered during the visit, it became widely known within the Special Forces Command that any intervention at the Türksat facilities would not halt broadcasts. As part of the betrayal and conspiracy on July 15, it appears that those sent to Türksat under the pretense of a terror warning were deliberately chosen as scapegoats. For months, these individuals may have been subjected to psychological warfare and manipulated for grey propaganda purposes. 

Colonel Faruk Bozdemir, one of the planners of the Türksat visit, was promoted to Brigadier General immediately after July 15. After being assigned to Hakkari following the 2019 Supreme Military Council appointments, he resigned, claiming he had been wronged.

Salim SANCAK