05.08.2026 20:10
The testimony of fugitive former captain Burkay Karatepe, who was part of the assassination team targeting President Erdogan on July 15 and was captured and arrested 10 years later, has emerged. The treacherous coup plotter, who lived a cell-like life in a house for 7 years, admitted that he used the code name 'Selim', met with Gulen in Pennsylvania, and opened fire on the guards that night. Karatepe said, 'I followed the imam's orders, I regret it.'
Discharged Captain Burkay Karatepe, who was involved in the assassination attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was captured after more than 10 years on the run. In his statement to law enforcement, Karatepe said he was raised within the organization since middle school, used the code name "Selim," met Fetullah Gulen in Pennsylvania, and was given the questions for the staff officer exam. Karatepe, who described the secret meeting before the assassination attempt, the Marmaris raid, and how he hid for years with a fake identity, said, "I followed the imam's instructions, I am regretful."
TRAITOR IN ASSASSINATION TEAM CAPTURED AFTER 10 YEARS
The more than 10-year flight of discharged Captain Burkay Karatepe, who was in the assassination team targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the treacherous coup attempt on July 15, 2016, has ended.
Karatepe, for whom a capture warrant had been issued by the Mugla 2nd Heavy Penal Court, was captured in the house where he was hiding in an operation carried out on August 1, 2026.
Karatepe's statement to law enforcement included striking details about his past within the organization, the coup preparations, his activities in the assassination team, and his years-long period of flight.
HE USED THE CODE NAME "SELIM"
Karatepe admitted that he had been in contact with the organization's structure since middle school and was specially trained during military school.
Stating that he used the code name "Selim" during his time at military school, Karatepe said he communicated with the covert imams over public payphones and prepaid lines.
Karatepe also said that empty liquor bottles were placed in front of their house in the lodgings to hide his relationship with the organization.
Stating that his marriage was a "catalog marriage" carried out by the organization, Karatepe said that spouses were chosen from among people within the structure who were not exposed.
HE CONFESSED THAT THE STAFF OFFICER EXAM QUESTIONS WERE GIVEN TO HIM
One of the most striking parts of Karatepe's statement was his statements regarding organizational support in his military career.
Admitting that the questions were given to him before the staff officer exam, Karatepe said he was favored by the organization throughout military school and his professional life.
It was learned that Karatepe also said that his relationship with the organization was influential in determining the personnel to be assigned to the coup attempt.
HE MET FETULLAH GULEN IN PENNSYLVANIA
Karatepe said he participated in a parachute course held in the United States in the summer of 2012.
Admitting that he went to Pennsylvania during this period and met face-to-face with the organization's ringleader Fetullah Gulen, Karatepe said the meeting lasted 10-15 minutes and Gulen read a prayer for him.
Investigative authorities evaluated these statements among the evidence that Karatepe was a person specially trained within the organization and chosen for critical tasks.
HE ATTENDED A SECRET MEETING AT A COVERT HOUSE BEFORE THE COUP
Karatepe said he attended a meeting held at a "covert brother's" house in Bahcelievler, Istanbul, about a week before the coup attempt.
Stating that he went to the meeting at the direction of Mehmet Cantaz, Karatepe said that Ismail Yigit, Mustafa Serdar Ozay, Enes Yilmaz, Bahadir Sagun, Mehmet Ozturk, and Mehmet Demir were also present.
Stating that they were told that an "important activity" would be carried out soon at the meeting, Karatepe said they were informed that Sukru Seymen would be the head of the group.
Karatepe said the participants of the meeting were instructed not to even mention the activity to their wives.
"THE TARGET WAS TO CAPTURE THE PRESIDENT"
According to Karatepe's statement, on July 15, the day of the coup attempt, a meeting was held at the Army War College and personnel were told to obey the orders to be given.
Karatepe and those with him put on their civilian clothes, left their phones and service pistols in the lodgings, and went to Ataturk Airport.
From there, the group was taken by Cougar-type helicopter to the 2nd Main Jet Base in Izmir's Cigli.
Karatepe said they met Sukru Seymen and Gokhan Sahin Sonmezates in Cigli, and were clearly told that the military had taken over the administration and the target was to capture President Erdogan.
Without any record being made, the team members were distributed G3 infantry rifles, pistols, loaded magazines, assault vests, composite helmets, GPS devices, and smoke grenades.
HE DESCRIBED THE MARMARIS RAID
The assassination team moved to Marmaris by helicopters around 03:00 on July 16. Karatepe said that after landing on the shore, they received directions from people around them and thus reached the Grand Yazici Hotel where President Erdogan was staying.
Karatepe admitted that as they approached the residence, they were fired upon, and he returned fire without aiming. Stating that the clash lasted about 10 minutes, Karatepe said the police bodyguards who came out were subdued with reverse handcuffs and searched.
Karatepe said he heard a hand grenade being thrown inside the residence and saw Sukru Seymen and Zekeriya Kuzu beating the police bodyguards with kicks and punches.
"IF THE PRESIDENT WAS CAPTURED, HE WOULD BE TAKEN TO THE ORDERED PLACE"
Karatepe stated that Sukru Seymen said that if President Erdogan was captured, he would be taken to the place ordered.
Admitting that the coup attempt was carried out on the organization's instructions, Karatepe stated that he also obeyed the orders and instructions given.
It was recorded that Karatepe stated in his statement, "My crime is proven. I followed the imam's instructions and I am regretful."
Karatepe also said that when the team members gathered in the mountainous area, the question "Is there anyone who is not from the Hizmet movement?" was asked, but no one in the group said they were from outside the organization.
HE BURIED THE WEAPONS IN THE GROUND AND FLED
Stating that on Sukru Seymen's order they fled into the terrain when the helicopters did not arrive, Karatepe said he left the group with Ali Saribey when he realized the coup attempt had failed.
Karatepe admitted that he buried the infantry rifle, pistol, assault vest, and GPS device he had with him in the ground.
He then said that he went down to Marmaris center, bought civilian clothes and a backpack, withdrew all the money in his bank account, and began his escape.
HE BROKE AND THREW AWAY HIS FATHER'S PHONE
Karatepe's escape route extended from Izmir to Afyonkarahisar, and from there to Eskisehir.
Karatepe, who went to Izmir by hitchhiking, hid in the house of a person named Bayram Fil. After his father, Sevki Karatepe, came to him, he broke and threw away his father's phone.
He was then taken to the Emirdag district of Afyonkarahisar in a vehicle driven by Mehmet Fil. From there, he went to his aunt's house in Eskisehir Mahmudiye using his uncle Ismet Bicer's vehicle.
When he realized he was being sought, he hid for a while in the highlands and in the open.
HE LIVED A CELL LIFE IN THE SAME HOUSE FOR SEVEN YEARS
Karatepe said he hid for about seven years in a house his father rented in the Yarenler Neighborhood of Afyonkarahisar. Karatepe, stating that his father brought him money, gold, foreign currency, and a fake ID prepared under the name "Tayfun Gezveci," said he used the name "Salih" among those around him.
Karatepe claimed that to make a living, he collected garbage and scrap at night, worked in construction, did painting and renovation work, and sold three-dimensional paintings.
It was stated that legal proceedings were also initiated against his father, Sevki Karatepe, and his sister, Ayse Alanur Karatepe, for helping him escape and hide, and that both individuals were detained for a period.
FOREIGN CURRENCY, GOLD, AND A FOREIGN SIM CARD WERE FOUND IN HIS HOME
In the search of the house where Karatepe was caught, a large amount of cash, jewelry, and a GSM line belonging to a foreign country were seized. It was determined that there were many foreign numbers in his phone directory, and some people were saved encrypted with numbers instead of names.
It was detected that Karatepe was called many times in succession via operational lines, had communication with covert imams, and used the method of communicating by creating drafts in his e-mail accounts.
It was also determined that the suspect had telephone contact with a person who was subject to proceedings for migrant smuggling. The seized money, foreign currency, jewelry, foreign SIM card, and fake ID were evaluated by the investigation authorities as signs of preparations for a new escape.
Karatepe, on the other hand, claimed that he had no intention of fleeing abroad, that he did not establish contact with the organization during his escape period, and that the seized money was given to him by his family.
DOUBLE ARREST WARRANT
A new investigation was launched against Karatepe, considering that the crime of being a member of an armed terrorist organization was of a continuous nature. The evidence in the file, statements in the police statement, operational line records, use of a fake ID, and the escape period exceeding 10 years were evaluated together.
Karatepe, who was referred to the Mugla Criminal Judgeship of Peace with a request for arrest, was arrested for being a member of an armed terrorist organization. Karatepe was also arrested for the crimes of attempted assassination of the President, violating the Constitution, crimes against the legislative body, crimes against the government, intentionally killing a public official, attempted killing, aggravated assault, deprivation of liberty, and robbery. It was reported that the investigation is being continued in all its aspects.