Navy capt. linked to attack on Erdogan hotel detained

By Durmus

MUGLA

A navy captain was detained Monday, linked to an attack on a hotel in which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family were vacationing during the recent deadly coup attempt, according to judicial sources.

Capt. Haldun Gulmez, who was treated for his injuries at an hospital in the Aegean province of Izmir, was taken into custody in Mugla province before being sent to an Izmir prison, the source said on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Two police officers were martyred in a gun battle and seven others injured during the attack July 15 at the hotel in Mugla along the Aegean coast. Erdogan said if he had not left the hotel when he did, he might have died in the assault.

The deadly coup attempt occurred when rogue elements in the Turkish military tried to overthrow the country's democratically-elected government.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen organized the deadly plot, which martyred at least 246 people and injured more than 2,100 others.

Gulen is also accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the “parallel state”.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Fatma Bulbul contributed to this report from Istanbul.