Turkey football legend sought over coup

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish prosecutors investigating the failed July coup have issued an arrest warrant for one of the country's best-known footballers, ex-international Hakan Sukur, BBC News reports citing state media.

Searches were carried out at two houses in western Turkey, as officials said he faced charges of being a member of an "armed terrorist organisation".

A former MP for the ruling AK party, Hakan Sukur is a known supporter of the cleric blamed for the botched coup.

He moved to the U.S. several months ago.

Hakan Sukur's twitter account and website were not publicly accessible on Friday, August 12, however he has expressed support for cleric Fethullah Gulen in the past.

Gulen lives in self-imposed exile in the U.S. and the Turkish government has called for his extradition to face trial on charges of masterminding the failed 15 July coup. He denies involvement.

Some 270 people died and many more were wounded when parts of the armed forces tried to seize power.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded by purging the military and public services of tens of thousands of people suspected of following Gulen, whom the government accuses of setting up a parallel state.

Hakan Sukur went on trial in absentia in June for insulting President Erdogan on social media and the decision by prosecutors to seek his arrest is not seen as a surprise because of his support for the U.S.-based preacher.

Prosecutors have also sought the arrest of his father, who was for years his manager and has moved to the U.S. as well.