Tags: Turkey Turkey coupAt the last offices for one of the 265 victims, Mr Erdogan reiterated an accusation that US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind the conspiracy.
Mr Gulen firmly slammed allegations of his involvement.
High-ranking military officers are among those held.
Turkish media said a warrant had been issued for one of Mr Erdogan’s top military aides, Colonel Ali Yazici.
About 265 people died in clashes as the coup failed, many of them civilians and police loyal to the government.Mr Erdogan told mourners at the Fatih mosque in Istanbul: “We will continue to cleanse the virus from all state institutions, because this virus has spread. Unfortunately like a cancer, this virus has enveloped the state.”
He had earlier suggested that parliament might consider a proposal to reinstate the death penalty.
Tens of thousands of Turks partied into the small hours of Sunday on the main squares of key cities to celebrate the failure of the coup.
In a rare show of political unity, Turkey’s political parties united to condemn Friday’s coup attempt, but it’s uncertain how long that solidarity will last.
Emotions were running high as funerals for those killed during the coup plot were being held. President Erdogan mourned in Istanbul for the brother of one of his closest advisers. He said: “My glorious nation has given the best response to the coup plotters,” Mr Erdogan said in a televised speech frequently interrupted by chants of “God is Great!” Whenever he made a reference to Fethullah Gulen, the roar of boos would come from the crowd.
Turkey has been through a striking 48 hours, on a scale even this country, with a turbulent past of three previous coups and a further two military interventions, had never seen before. And it is not totally over yet.
As more than 6,000 have been sacked with the speculations suggesting that numbers could rise further. One Twitter user commented “this is an opportunity for the governing party to cleanse out all opposition to the presidential system”.
Mr Erdogan’s critics wonder if he could he make use of the latest events as leverage to push harder for a constitutional change that would further augment his powers.
Apart from those detained, Erdogan is demanding the United States arrest or extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he blamed for the attempt to oust the government.
Source(s): Various Agencies
