Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, who was second chief of general staff during the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, spoke at length about that fateful night for the first time.
Güler recalled his abduction by officers loyal to the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ), which was behind the attempt, and how he was saved from certain execution.
The minister served as the number two officer of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) at the time of the coup attempt, while his predecessor at the ministry, Hulusi Akar, was chief of general staff. Just like Akar, he was kidnapped by putschists and taken to Akıncı, a military base in the capital Ankara, which was taken over by coup plotters and used as their "operations center."
Güler spoke to Okan Müderrisoğlu of the Sabah newspaper ahead of the eighth anniversary of the attempt quelled by strong public resistance and brave members of security forces opposing the putschists.
"FETÖ is a group comprised of people acting like robots completely obedient to their masters. They are raised and trained to comply with obeying orders of their superiors from an early age, without questioning them. Those in lower ranks thought they would succeed on July 15, but their error in timing changed everything," Güler said.
Putschists rescheduled their attempt to the evening of July 15, instead of early hours of July 16. Investigations showed that this was due to Turkish intelligence becoming aware of their plans hours before the attempt unfolded. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) during the coup attempt, was invited to the Office of Chief of General Staff when MIT warned the army about a possible plot. "But FETÖ also found out about the warning and alerted its leader (Fetullah Gülen), who, in turn, instructed them to start it immediately," Güler said.
Güler was at a meeting with other commanders on July 15 for planning of a counterterrorism operation in southeastern Türkiye. "My aide told me the MIT chief called. (Fidan) told us that an army major came to MIT headquarters and confessed that some officers were plotting to kidnap (Fidan) and launch unauthorized helicopter flights. I told the chief of general staff about this and suggested that we should invite Fidan to the office. We thought there was a coup plot afoot just like on Feb. 7 and Dec. 17-25," he said. Güler was referring to attempts by FETÖ-linked prosecutors, judges and police chiefs to arrest Fidan in 2012 and two fake anti-graft probes in 2013 that sought to implicate members of the government.
"The chief of general staff ordered the closure of airspace and a recall of all military aircraft and helicopters. I ordered the Land Forces Commander to go to the headquarters (of the major who informed MIT) and take measures, as well as the Fourth Corps Commander, to stop any tanks from departing (the base of a main tank command)," Güler recalled.
The Turkish army was preparing to retire 123 FETÖ-linked generals and admirals in August 2016, and Güler said, "Traitors among us found out about it and decided to stage the coup." Güler said those "traitors" exploited a gap left behind due to the imprisonment of "valuable" officers during the "Ergenekon plot." He was referring to a string of investigations and trials orchestrated by FETÖ-linked judiciary members that targeted opponents of FETÖ within the army.
As the coup attempt was unfolding, a group of putschists stormed his office around 9:25 p.m. on July 15, 2016. "I heard people shouting outside and then, men wearing masks and in military gear entered my room. There were about a dozen of them and I thought they were members of the Special Forces (an elite unit of the army). They yelled at me, 'Lie down,' but I refused. One of them tried to grab me, but I pushed him. Then, all of them jumped on me. Then, my aide entered the room. He was in civilian garb and told me mockingly that they were 'carrying out a drill.' I then realized he was with traitors."
Güler recalled that he was blindfolded, handcuffed and forced into a vehicle waiting outside. "I later heard the man in the passenger seat shouting, ‘Open the door or I will fire.’ It was my aide and I realized we were driving toward the front gate (of army headquarters). I heard people yelling and then a few gunshots. My aide was killed there. I later found out that one of the military personnel phoned the guards at the gate and told them I was being kidnapped. A lieutenant colonel at the gate jumped on the hood of the car I was in, but my aide shot him. Another guard killed him," he recalled.
Güler was later taken to a helicopter and recalled he was forced into a room. "I heard the sound of F-16 fighter jets flying outside. Much later, I found out I was in Akıncı." Güler told Sabah that the putschists plotted to start an all-out assault on anyone opposing them and considered him as an obstacle to this assault plan.
Throughout the night, Güler was kept in a room, still blindfolded and handcuffed. "I heard explosions when it was becoming morning. I thought that (the opponents of the putschists) were bombing the runway outside so the traitors could not launch air assaults," he said.
In the early hours of July 16, Güler recalled how the door of the room opened and heard a man saying, "Yaşar, my dear." It was Akın Öztürk, former head of the Turkish Air Forces Command, who was serving as a member of the Supreme Military Council at the time of the coup attempt. Öztürk, who was accused of leading the putschists’ so-called "Peace At Home Council," was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment after the coup was quelled. Güler did not realize Öztürk was with putschists at first but recalled the time he watched security camera footage from the base after the coup attempt and saw Öztürk freely moving around and even yelling orders at the putschists. "I grew suspicious of him minutes after he entered the room. I was tied, but he was not. He then offered me a phone call with my family. They told me the phone was on the other side of the room. I rejected picking up the phone because I was suspicious that they would shoot me if I moved. They might have very well claimed that they shot me because I was trying to flee," he said. When he refused, the putschists put the call on speaker. Güler found out during the phone call that his wife had been earlier told that he was killed.
"I don’t have the slightest doubt about the fact that those traitors from FETÖ would let in terrorists of the PKK into Türkiye from our southeastern borders if the coup succeeded. They would also bring back the FETÖ leader from abroad," he said, referring to Fethullah Gülen, who currently resides in the United States despite a string of arrest warrants and extradition requests by Türkiye. "Our nation changed history that night," he added.
The minister said the fight against FETÖ still continues. "It is thanks to the resilient stance of our president. As the TSK, we did not tolerate anyone on this matter," he said, referring to mass expulsions of FETÖ-linked military personnel. "We will continue our fight in light of new evidence and information," he stated.