By Mucahid Eker and Huseyin Demir
ISTANBUL (AA) – New footage emerged on Tuesday that showed Fetullah Terrorist Organization raiding the building of Turkey’s leading communication provider Turk Telekom during last year’s July 15 defeated coup, according to a senior telecom official.
Security cameras captured the moment coup plotters arrived and invaded the building in Ankara’s Ulus district.
It also shows the coup plotters taking employees hostage and clashing with police special operations team, who later arrested all of them.
In an interview in Istanbul, Turk Telekom Deputy General Manager Sukru Kutlu told Anadolu Agency: “On that night, terrorists particularly attacked our country’s communication hub.
“If they had been able to cut communication, nobody would have known anything and the country would have been plunged into big darkness,” he said.
“Nobody would have gone out, and that unity, togetherness and social power [seen on July 15 night] would not have emerged in order to prevent this treasonous attempt.”
On July 15 night, FETO members also attempted to seize another building of Turk Telekom in Acibadem district of Istanbul; 6 people were martyred while defending that building, Kutlu said.
“This is very important. Our people noticed this [threat] and immediately acted.
“Turk Telecom has a very strong infrastructure and a very strong backup system. So, there was no cut in anywhere in our country on that night. All systems were operating and people were able to watch live what was happening,” he added.
According to the Turkish government, FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 2016 in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara has said FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
