The Purge Begins: Inside Turkey's Post-Coup Crackdown
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The Turkish government has begun a massive purge of political opponents after the failed coup attempt last week.
As many as 50,000 members of the government, military, police, courts and schools have been suspended or detained since the coup attempt.
It's a huge number and it's clear that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was already crushing dissent, sees the coup attempt as a golden opportunity to re-make the government even more in his image: more authoritarian and more Islamic.
"This coup has empowered President Erdogan more than ever," Turkish political analyst Mustafa Akyol said. "Erdogan can easily use this, yes, to establish more control over Turkish society, to bring a presidential system almost tailor-made for himself with little checks and balances."
Lists of those to be purged were reportedly made up before the coup. It has caused some to wonder if Erdogan allowed the coup or encouraged it as a way to smoke out remaining dissent.
"It [the attempted coup] was carried out by a small fraction within the Turkish army connected to the Gulenist group, criminal organization, a terrorist organization and a religious cult. All the initial evidence and testimonies prove this without any hesitation," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.
Kalin is referring to Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in the United States. Erdogan has accused Gulen of masterminding the coup and wants the cleric extradited.
Gulen, who has condemned the uprising, is denying the accusations.
"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today once again demonstrated he will go to any length necessary to solidify his power and persecute his critics," Gulen said in a statement Tuesday. "It is ridiculous, irresponsible and false to suggest I had anything to do with the horrific failed coup. I urge the U.S. government to reject any effort to abuse the extradition process to carry out political vendettas."
The White House is now reviewing material from Turkey to determine if it amounts to a formal extradition request.
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