Erdogan Slams German Intelligence Chief's Comment on Gulen's Role in Coup

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND) chief Bruno Kahl not to "cross the line" after his stamenets about Turkey's weak evidence base proving Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen's involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the statements of German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND) chief Bruno Kahl about Turkey's weak evidence base proving Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen's involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt.

On March 18, Kahl said in an interview with German Der Spiegel magazine that Ankara failed to convince Berlin in Gulen's role in the July 2016 coup attempt.

"He says they don't see [Fethullah Terrorist Organization] FETÖ behind this incident. Look at them. What do you know about FETÖ being a terrorist group?… Who do you think you are? Don't cross the line," Erdogan said as quoted by Daily Sabah newspaper.

On July 15, 2016, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. It was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed during the coup attempt and an estimated 2,000 were wounded. Thousands of people, including military officers, high-ranking civil servants and teachers have been detained or sacked in the country since the attempted overthrow of the Turkish government.

Ankara accused Gulen, who has been living in the United States since 1999, and his followers of orchestrating the coup attempt. He has denied the allegations of involvement and condemned the attempted coup.