Turkey calls on Germany to provide information on top coup suspect

Turkey formally asked Berlin to provide more information on Adil Oksuz, one of the suspects to have been involved in last year's failed coup.

Oksuz, who was the religious leader of air force personnel who last year bombed parliament as part of the attempt to topple the government, has reportedly sought asylum in Germany.

Authorities say Oksuz was detained near an Ankara air base hours after the coup attempt, only to be released by a judge two days later and has been on the run ever since. 

Several Turkish newspapers claimed Oksuz had been seen in the German cities of Frankfurt and Ulm in February this year by a number of Turkish residents.

The Yeni Safak daily newspaper also reported last week that Oksuz had applied for asylum in the southern German state of Baden-Wurttemberg.

"We sent a diplomatic note to Germany after the news regarding the presence in Germany of the FETO suspect Adil Oksuz, who is currently at large," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) is the organisation of US-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, whom authorities say was behind the coup attempt.

The Turkish side has demanded the German authorities investigate the claims made in recent media reports and, if these are proven to be true, take the necessary measures to arrest Oksuz and send him to Turkey for trial.

Germany Foreign Ministry sources confirmed Turkey’s diplomatic action but they said the ministry had no information so far to indicate Oksuz was in Germany.

Ankara-Berlin tensions

Since the 2016 defeated coup attempt, nearly 4,000 FETO suspects have come to Germany from Turkey and other countries, according to local media reports.

Several FETO suspects, including former soldiers and diplomats, have applied for asylum in various German federal states.

Berlin has so far declined to share information with Turkey on the identities of these asylum seekers, citing its obligations under international treaties protecting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.

Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in recent months as Turkish leaders accused Germany of not showing strong solidarity with Turkey after the July 2016 defeated coup attempt.

Ankara has also accused the German authorities of turning a blind eye to the activities of groups it deems outlawed and terrorist. 

In Germany, which is home to more than three million Turkish immigrants, FETO has a large network with dozens of private schools, businesses and media organisations.

Despite repeated requests by Ankara to arrest leading FETO figures, the German authorities have turned down extradition requests and argued that Ankara should first provide legally sound evidence.

Despite widespread suspicions, the German authorities had been reluctant so far to curb FETO's activities, also known as the Gulenists in the country, and underlined they would only act in receipt of evidence which suggested these institutions were carrying out activities that violate German law.

Gulenists have been careful so far not to attract criticism from the German public and have particularly focused on interfaith dialogue programs, giving moderate messages to win the trust of the media, influential churches and political institutions.