Turkish major says he notified intelligence agency of possible coup attempt

A major, who came to prominence after it emerged that he met with Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MİT) officials hours before the July 2016 coup attempt, has said he notified the intelligence authorities of a possible takeover. 

The Air Forces major, identified only by the initials as O.K., said that when he went to the MİT headquarters on July 15, 2016, he told the authorities that a coup attempt may unfold. 

"I remember precisely saying 'There may be a coup,'" O.K. said, according to meeting records dated Aug. 11, 2016, that also included the names of then-Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor Harun Kodalak, Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Necip Cem İşçimen and a clerk. He added that his connection with the MİT started after that incident. 

"They called me from the MİT the next day and said 'Let's host you as a guest for a couple of days.' Half an hour later a group came and took me," he also said. 

The report did not feature the name or signature of the major due to "the necessity of keeping his identity secret."

It previously emerged that O.K. had gone to the MİT headquarters to give information regarding unusual activities in the military before the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by what the government and prosecutors call the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), led by the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen. 

"I was in a vacation camp with my family starting from July 11, 2016 in [the northwestern district of] Akçay. My battalion commander major Deniz Aldemir called on July 13 and told me that I should be on duty on Friday [July 15]. We were at his car and he said 'Turn off your phone.' He turned the volume of the radio up," O.K. said, adding that Aldemir...