Were There MIT Agents Within the TSK on the Night of July 15?
When we look at the broader picture of July 15, it can be said that the key coordinators who set the military against the public were former MIT (National Intelligence Agency) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan and MIT personnel. It is evident that Hakan Fidan could not have acted without the knowledge, instruction, and approval of President Erdoğan. There is sufficient evidence that selected and trusted individuals from other TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) and Police Force personnel carried out their orders and implemented a coordinated plan in the field.
The relationships of retired Colonel Sadık Üstün and Kemal Eskintan, whom Hulusi Akar frequently and privately met with since his Corps Command days, with MIT's Special Coordination Unit, as well as their alleged roles in recruiting personnel from within the TSK, providing directives on the day of the events, and coordinating with figures like Zekai Aksakallı and Arif Çetin, have not been thoroughly investigated in the trials for some reason.
Through the Special Coordination Unit specifically established under the leadership of MIT Undersecretary Hakan Fidan and Sadık Üstün, qualified bureaucrats and soldiers of the Republic of Turkey were completely purged during and after July 15. MIT centrally coordinated this scheme through its extensions within the TSK.
Who Were the Potential MIT Agents Within the TSK on the Night of July 15? Did Anything Extraordinary Happen at MIT Before July 15?
The activities and meetings of retired Colonel Sadık Üstün, a MIT official, as reflected in the media and disclosed publicly, point to how MIT, in cooperation with retired TSK personnel, operated almost as a parallel MIT within the country both before and after July 15.
As part of the Çatı Trial, Colonel Doğan Öztürk made the following observations about Sadık Üstün in his defense before the court (1):
"Hulusi Akar communicates with Sadık Üstün. He is also mentioned in Levent Türkkan's phone records. Around 6:30 PM, Sadık Üstün speaks with him. I had previously brought up Sadık Üstün before. He is the person who called Lieutenant General Yılmaz Uyar and said that the military leader behind this coup was Akın Öztürk. He also has abnormal relations with Abidin Ünal, spoke with him continuously that week, and had a half-hour phone conversation with him on the evening of July 15. Sadık Üstün also communicates with Hulusi Akar. Sadık Üstün works at MIT. Beyond this, he interacts with many generals as well."
In light of these evaluations, it is laughable to suggest that MIT was not involved in the July 15 project.
Who Were the Potential MIT Agents Within the TSK?
In the Parliamentary Coup Investigation Commission Report (2):
Between 22:40 and 24:00, the Ankara Police General Directorate stated the following:
"By establishing contact with friendly elements at the General Staff, information on airstrips, runways, and heliport areas—meant to be used only in times of war—was gathered and precautions were taken. Additionally, the use of airstrips in Uşak, Kütahya, Afyon, and Sivrihisar was prevented."
This implies that there were friendly elements within the General Staff headquarters.
Who were these "friendly elements" in contact with the Police Special Operations (or MIT), as recorded in the Parliamentary Coup Investigation Commission Report? The identity of these individuals remains undisclosed. This shows that, on the night of July 15, there were TSK personnel at the General Staff headquarters who were in communication with the Ministry of Interior and/or MIT. This matter was not investigated despite being requested in court.
To Be Continued, in our next article, we will delve into these names in more detail.
Umut Güçlüer
References
(1) Defense statements of Colonel Doğan Öztürk during the Çatı Trial under the Ankara 17th Heavy Penal Court Case No. 2017/109, dated May 10 and May 13, 2019.
(2) Parliamentary Coup Investigation Commission Report §§332-333 – Activities recorded by the Police General Directorate.
