Turkish coup plotter jet pilot sentenced to 648 years

ANKARA

A Turkish court handed a former pilot lieutenant three aggravated life sentences and over 640 years in prison for his role in the deadly July 15 coup attempt in the country by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

In a recent trial of officers at the Akinci Airbase, which served as the headquarters for the failed coup attempt four years ago, the court ruled in favor of aggravated life sentences for several military officers, including former pilot lieutenant Mustafa Ozkan, as well as civilians who helped plot and carry out the scheme.

Ozkan was sentenced to 648 years for attempting to overthrow Turkey's constitutional order and attempted premeditated murder.

During the coup attempt, Ozkan, who flew an F-16 fighter jet at speeds that broke the sound barrier above the capital Ankara where he bombed the police headquarters, martyring two people and injuring 39 others.

Initially, Ozkan denied his role in the coup, saying he did not fly that night and knew nothing of the attempt in claims prosecutors later disproved.

Separately, 1,511 convicts were handed jail terms ranging from 14 months to 20 years, while some defendants were acquitted in the nationwide cases.

The remaining trials continue in the capital Ankara, Istanbul and seven other provinces.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.

Turkey accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan