Turkish deputy PM knows nothing of Russia’s warning of coup attempt

MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Tuesday he knows nothing about Russia’s alleged warning to Turkey over the prepared coup attempt.

"I have no information on this matter," he said, answering a corresponding question. "But I’d like to note that the next day after the coup attempt the most serious backing was provided by Russia that emphasized its support to the legitimate government of Turkey. We highly value the phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This support was very strong," Simsek said.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported previously that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a warning from Russia about an imminent military coup just hours before it was initiated. The news agency referred to several Arab media outlets quoting diplomats from Ankara who said that Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization "received intel from its Russian counterpart that warned of an impending coup".

The warning was based on the data that the Russian military in the region had received intercepting "highly sensitive army exchanges and encoded radio messages showing that the Turkish army was readying to stage a coup," Fars said.

In particular, the Turkish military reportedly discussed plans to dispatch several army helicopters to the hotel (in Marmaris) where Erdogan stayed to arrest or kill him, the news agency said.

"The diplomats were not sure of the Russian station that had intercepted the exchanges, but said the Russian army intelligence unit deployed in Hmeimim in Syria's northern province of Latakia is reportedly equipped with state-of-the-art electronic and eavesdropping systems to gather highly sensitive information," Fars said.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov commented on this information to reporters as follows: "I don’t have such information and I don’t know the sources, to which the news agency Fars is referring."

No decision has been made on capital punishment for the organizers of an abortive military coup in Turkey, Turkish Vice-Premier also said on Tuesday.

"The persons complicit in this terrorist organization have been suspended from service duties and a final decision will be made by a court of law. The issue of removing them from office on a permanent basis will be resolved within law," the vice-premier said.

"As for the possibility of capital punishment for the organizers, a decision on this has not been made," he said.

"The situation in Turkey is coming to normal at an accelerated rate," the vice-premier said.

"The emergency situation has been imposed for two reasons. It is necessary to reform the armed forces in order to prevent a possible putsch in the future," the vice-premier said.

"It is necessary to cleanse the elements of this structure whose leader is staying in the United States. The emergency regime has not been declared against the people of Turkey," the vice-premier said.

Overnight to July 16, a group of insurgents attempted a coup in Turkey. Major clashes erupted in Ankara and Istanbul. Bombs were dropped on the parliament building and the presidential palace in Ankara. Later on July 16, the Turkish leadership said that the coup was quashed and the government regained control in the country. On July 21, the Turkish parliament voted for a state of emergency in the country for the next three months.

Ankara has said the terrorist organization of the supporters of Islamic oppositionist Fethullah Gullen living in the United States had attempted to undermine the constitutional order and oust Turkey’s incumbent authorities.