Turkey issues arrest warrant for ex-Premier League footballer Hakan Sukur over failed COUP after accusing him of being ‘member of armed terror group’
Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for ex-footballer Hakan Sukur in connection with last month’s failed coup, it has been reported.
Sukur is accused by of “being a member of an armed terror group”, according to the country’s state-run Anadolu news agency.
The Turkish government have issued an arrest warrant for Hakan Sukur, pictured playing for Turkey in 2003
The accusation refers to the organisation of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara claims was behind the coup.
Police also raided the Istanbul home of the footie star, who now lives in the US, according to reports.
It is also said that the Sakarya prosecutor general’s office has decided to detain Sukur’s father Sermet Sukur.
Neither of the men are believed to have been apprehended after Sukur and his family left the country last year.
The former striker is currently believed to be in the United States and Turkish media said an Interpol Red Notice would be requested for extradition.
The ex-Blackburn hitman – who played much of his career at Istanbul-based Galatasaray – went into politics after his retirement from sport.
He was elected to the Turkish Parliament in 2011 as an MP for President Erdogan’s Justice and Development party (AKP).
But he resigned in 2013 after a corruption probe that targeted Erdoğan and his inner circle, siding instead with Gülen.
Sukur had objected to the government’s move to shut down schools run by Gulen's movement Hizmet, which means service in Turkish.
Then, in February this year, it was announced that the footie ace was to be charged with insulting the president on Twitter.
Sukur was potentially facing a four-year stint behind bars for the comments on social media – the content of which weren’t made clear in the charges.
The ex-striker had claimed he didn’t intend to target the president – but prosecutors said the remarks “clearly related” to Erdogan.
The latest accusations levelled against the former footie talisman are much more serious – with Erdogan threatening the death penalty to coup plotters found guilty.
Elements of the armed forces tried to overthrow the Turkish government last month, seizing control of key institutions and strategic locations on 15 July.
Troops stormed into TV stations, shelled the parliament building and parked tanks on bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
But the attempt to unseat the president failed when he evaded an alleged attempt to capture or kill him and called his supporters out onto the streets.
Thousands turned out to confront the soldiers and the coup was eventually defeated.
More than 300 people were killed and over 2,000 wounded.
Thousands have been arrested in the aftermath of the coup, including soldiers, politicians, police officers, teachers and journalists.
And there have been accusations of mistreatment of detainees – with stories of the torture and even rape of alleged plotters in custody.
Thousands more have been sacked from positions in the government and civil service and the president has been accused of using the coup as an excuse to crack down on political opponents.
Rightly or wrongly, former national footie idol Sukur now finds himself one of those to fall under suspicion.
Sukur enjoyed spells at Galatasaray and Italian giants Inter Milan in a distinguished playing career, during which he won 112 caps for the Turkish national team.
He scored 51 times for his country and was instrumental in helping Turkey to the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea – their most successful run in an international competition.
His goal after just 11 seconds of play against South Korea that year remains the fastest goal in World Cup history.
Turkey were knocked out after losing 1-0 to Brazil, who went on to win the competition.
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