ANKARA: Former Turkish air chief, General Akin Ozturk on Monday confessed to having masterminded the attempt to overthrow Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government that left more than 200 people killed in a night of violence on Friday.
Images published by state media today showed a tired-looking former air force chief General Akin Ozturk before the criminal court in Ankara. The court was to decide whether to remand him and 26 other senior military officials in custody ahead of trial, Turkish state-run news agency reported.
Akin, after his retirement as the air chief, continued to serve as a member of Turkey's Supreme Military Council. Along with trying to overthrow the existing order in Turkey, they are accused of plotting to assassinate President Erdogan.
Turkey´s treatment of the coup suspects had alarmed its allies, with EU and US leaders urging Ankara to respect the rule of law.
In the images, Ozturk and other suspects are seen on the stairs inside of the Ankara court house, staring blankly into the camera with their hands tied behind their backs.
Turkey has blamed the coup on supporters of Erdogan´s arch enemy, the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, within the military.