Turkey's alleged coup plot mastermind arrested

Retired Air Forces Commander Akin Ozturk together with 41 generals and admirals have been arrested after appearing in an Ankara court for their involvement in Friday's military coup attempt.

Over 100 high-rank officers of the Turkish army were detained earlier as part of the ongoing investigation into the attempted coup, which sought to overthrow Turkey's democratically elected government.

All of them have been charged with treason and are testifying to the prosecutors and judges.

Security forces are trying to find others for whom arrest warrants were issued following the coup attempt.

In Istanbul, 12 soldiers were arrested by a court on suspicion of being members of an armed terrorist organisation and attempting to overthrow the Turkish government.

Late on Friday, the soldiers raided Turkish public broadcaster TRT's office in Istanbul's Harbiye district while soldiers on the Bosphorus Bridge opened fire on civilians who were rallying against the coup attempt.

At least 208 people - security officers and civilians - lost their lives in the ensuing violence. Hundreds of others were wounded.

Turkey accuses US-based Fetullah Gulen and his followers, who have allegedly set up a "parallel state" to undermine the government, of being behind the coup and has called for his extradition to Turkey to face trial.

The "parallel state" represents a clandestine group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials who are embedded in the country's institutions, including the judiciary, the police, and the army.