Q&A: Broad Outlines of the Failed Military Coup in ‪‎Turkey‬- Sheikh Ata' Bin Khalil Abu Rashta

Question:

Although it has only been a day and part of a day, but I hope to get an explanation, even if broad outlines of what happened in Turkey coup attempt: Who is behind it? Is it really the Gulen Movement? Or are they officers in the army loyal to the British? And what is expected after that? May Allah reward you.

Answer:
After following and reflecting on what happened in Turkey during the two days of the 15 and 16/7/2016 CE, it is likely that those who attempted the coup are risk-taking officers loyal to the British who were in danger, this is due to the following facts:

1. Whether they were at risk of being in danger, since the Turkish Military High Council (YAŞ) regularly convenes late this month of July or early next month of August every year. The authorities of this Council are many and of great significance to the army. Therefore it is held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister at the headquarters of the General Staff in Ankara, and is attended by the Defense Minister, Chief of Staff, Commander of the Land Forces, Commander of the Air Force, Commander of the Naval Forces, Commander of the Gendarmerie Forces, and Second Deputy Chief of Staff... as well as the Military High Council members being from the top officials of the Turkish Armed Forces. This annual YAŞ meeting discusses matters regarding: promotions of the upper military ranks, extending of tenures for some commanders, matters relating to pensions, and cases of military discharge of military personnel for disciplinary action and ill conduct, in addition to a number of topics related to the Turkish Armed Forces. The meeting lasts several days and announces its decisions after a presentation to the President of the Republic. Usually YAŞ meeting concludes with ending the tenures of a number of top commanders of armies and other high-ranking officials. For example, in the previous meeting on 02/08/2015, among those whose jobs were terminated at that meeting, was the chief then of Turkey's Air Force, Akin Ozturk, with news reports that he is the head of the current coup attempt, along with other senior commanders.

It seems that the officers who attempted the coup knew or “leaked to them” that action will be taken against them in the YAŞ meeting endangers their survival in the army at the head of their jobs, and they attempted this as a proactive action prior to the Council Board.

2. Whether they are risk-taking officers loyal to the British, it is well known that pro- British men were the army nucleus, and that America tried to breach it since the presidency of Ozal but did not succeed. So it turned to the police and internal security forces, then focused on penetrating the army in the era of Erdogan and succeeded to some extent ... Nonetheless, British forces still exist, even though Erdogan clipped their wings, but he did not eliminate them, including the officers who attempted the coup.

And as for them being "risk-takers", since observing the arrangement of the attempt does not suggest that the British are the ones who planned it, it is likely that the officers planned it and that Britain had allowed them ... Because taking a closer look at the plan shows that it is almost devoid of Britain’s cunningness and savvy. For example, the coup’s perpetrators focused in their statement, on secularism and this is foolish of them, because the Islamic sentiments are currently spreading among many Turks. So stating secularism provokes them and reminds them of the rule of Mustafa Kemal and his followers, and how they were in the state of provocation towards Islam and Muslims, and spite and cunningness against Islam and its people. Thus the mention of secularism by the coup’s perpetrators was foolish, which made the people take to the streets in hatred for Mustafa Kemal followers rather than the love for Erdogan. Another important issue is that the coup’s perpetrators did not plan tightly in the first minutes to arrest politicians and rulers, i.e. the president and the government, before the announcement of the coup, rather the coup was announced while they are in their positions! Their actions were akin to riot and emotions of outrage without a public fan base, or even an organized crowned coup!

All this suggests that this coup was the initiation of risk-taking officers loyal to the British as a proactive movement to military decisions of YAŞ that they expected will put them in danger/risk. It is not unlikely that the matter is more than expectations since access to this knowledge is hard to attain.

3. As for accusing Gulen, it is probably not true, for the Gulen Movement is closer to civil, judicial and social work and does not have the military capability to carry out a coup without colonial support, this is first ... Second, the movement abides by American orders and does not move without its permission. America believes in Erdogan as the man most capable to serve its interests, especially in the meantime. Turkey is the last dart of America on the subject of the Syrian solution, and Erdogan has offered her service no one else could do it in such circumstances; by the willingness to normalize relations with the Syrian regime, where the Turkish Prime Minister said: "Turkey will return its normal relations with Syria."

Gulen for America is a spare line when necessary. For example, Gulen supported the Justice Party in the three elections since 2002 until 2013, when the dispute between them began by fueling corruption problems at some Erdogan’s helpers, as well as when the (Drchan) network of the Gulen movement was closed. So he is a spare when needed. Colonial states are unconcerned if there is more than one agent in one place, and does not harm them too if they dispute, vie and even fight each other.They support the winner among them. This is the like of Sadat’s conflict with Ali Sabri group, the two teams were followers of America, however, Sadat was able to absolve and arrest Ali Sabri group.

Thus, Gulen movement as we stated, probably have not arranged the coup, but this does not preclude that members of Gulen movement have participated in their individual capacities, especially the judges, in reaction to the severity of the harassment that befalls them from Erdogan.

4. Erdogan is no doubt aware that the British have the power in the army, even though diminished, and that military loyal to British are behind the coup attempt. Nevertheless he accuses Gulen because talking about the pro-British men in the Army upholds them, and eliminating them without mentioning them trivializes their matter. Whereas Gulen is not just as significant as them ... Erdogan wants to eliminate the pro-British men without noise, that is in discreet, so that they do not stand out and there is no bloc around them ... And in return wants to weaken his rival by noise because the Gulen Movement is not of the same power as the British men.

This is probably the opinion on what happened ... and all what happened was not a tightly planned coup attempt nor was it well thought out with poise, but is more of an outraged risk without provision and poise. The important thing is not to stop at what happened, but what is expected after that.

5. What is then expected is the uproar that occurred around the coup attempt will affect the two sides:

As for America and Erdogan they will exert their utmost to exploit what happened with the serious actions to end the British forces in the army, or at least ease their impact to a minimum. For they have inflated the magnitude of the attempt to justify prosecuting the pro-British men intensely and severely. And of course Erdogan will use it to weaken his rival Gulen as far as he can, i.e. within the limits permitted by America ... and what appeared from the thousands of arrests indicates that.

As for Britain, it is accused of what happened - even if it did not, by its cunningness and savvy, developed the plan, its methods and its means, but left it to its men - so it is not ruled out that it monitors the situation closely in order to undertake a reaction that will return back to its men a thing of prestige ... And this is what America and Erdogan expect. Therefore Obama convened a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss what happened in Turkey like it was at the heart of American national security in anticipation of what might be the international reaction. Erdogan as well recommend people to stay in the arenas, airports and Mosques to block any reaction from the pro-British men and their loyalists.

In conclusion, what happened is painful, because the blood that spilled was our blood, not the blood of the British or the Americans ... and the devastation that has occurred in buildings, airports, arenas is in our country and not in America or Britain ... And so the hours of that attempt were darkness upon darkness, in our country and in our midst ... And this is sad and painful ... but there is a light, even if little, featured in this darkness, which is that people took to the streets shouted out “Ya Allah Ya Allah, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar”. This is because the declaration of the perpetrators of their secular orientation explicitly and provocatively to the sentiments of Muslims in Turkey have taken them to the streets defying the tanks chanting victory for their religion. So they confronted the military coup attempt, not in love for Erdogan and his regime as much it was in curse for the secularism and its henchmen … All of this, they move emotionally against secularism even though it exist in both the regime and the coup, and wherever secularism is evil befalls... However, they saw that the coup’s secularism is provocative to their Islamic feelings, since the coup was in the footsteps of Mustafa Kemal and his followers and his associates, and people have experienced the hatred of those on Islam and their cunning to it ... While the regime’s secularism is surrounded by something from Islam that relieves their feelings ... So how then, if the Muslims have the State of Haq (truth) and justice, Khilafah Rashidah on the method of the Prophethood, that rules them with justice and kindness, establishes on them the provisions of Allah and leads them in Jihad for Allah’s sake, so they attain glory in this life and success in the Hereafter? How? They will defend it with their wealth and themselves, with their feelings and their thoughts, and with their organs and their ribs, and with all their matter... The Muslim Ummah is a nation of goodness (Khair), the best nation raised for people.

﴿كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ﴾

“You were the best nations ever to be raised for mankind: you enjoin what is right (ma’roof), forbid what is wrong (munkar), and believe in Allah.” [Al-i-Imran: 110]

And it will soon, be embraced, Allah willing, by the rule of what Allah has revealed, Khilafah Rashidah (Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood, that shades Muslims under the banner of the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings be upon him and his family. And that is no great matter for Allah

12 Shawwal 1437 - Sunday, 17 July 2016