An indictment of security personnel who were allegedly responsible for the release of Adil Öksüz, a prime suspect in the investigation into a coup attempt in Turkey on July 15 claimed that members of the gendarmerie and the police force failed to inform the judiciary about Öksüz’s ties to the Gülen movement, which is accused by the Turkish government of masterminding the failed coup.
According to the indictment, prepared by Ankara Public Prosecutor Ramazan Dinç, naming 13 gendarmes, 14 police officers and Prime Ministry adviser Ali İhsan Sarıkoca, 28 people are suspected of either negligence or deliberately aiding in the release of Öksüz.
The Cumhuriyet daily reported on Saturday that Öksüz was among the civilians captured at Akıncı Airbase in Ankara on July 16, 2016.
Sarıkoca was told Öksüz was in the custody of police intelligence officer Serter Koçak, another suspect in the case, who learned Öksüz was a senior imam or executive of FETÖ — a derogatory term coined by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to refer followers of the Gülen movement — and that he was responsible for the Turkish Air Forces. Sarıkoca later visited Öksüz at the police station after his initial detention.
According to the indictment, Koçak is accused of blocking Öksüz’s transfer to another police station.
Cumhuriyet also reported that Alp Aslan, a senior police intelligence officer, did not inform his superiors about Öksüz’s status and told prosecutors he did not remember if he was informed about Öksüz’s role by other defendants.
During his initial questioning on July 16, 2016, Öksüz claimed he was near Akıncı Airbase to look for a piece of land he planned to buy.
Öksüz, who was an academic at Sakarya University, has been at large since July 18, with no leads regarding his whereabouts after he was last seen in his hometown in northwestern Turkey.