The biggest trial of suspects accused of involvement in last year's failed military coup attempt in Turkey has opened in a prison outside the capital, Ankara.

About 330 people were put on trial in Sincan district on Tuesday, and if convicted, they could face multiple life sentences over their alleged links to the attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July.



More than 240 of those named in the indictment are in custody, according to state-run news agency Anadolu.



The suspects, many of them from the Polatli artillery and missile school command in Ankara, have been charged with murder or attempted murder.



They are also accused of attempting to remove the government and parliament of the Turkish republic or trying to prevent those institutions from conducting their work.

READ MORE: Turkey's failed coup attempt - All you need to know

The case is being heard at Sincan prison where there was heavy security in place, with a water cannon truck on site and a drone flying overhead as families arrived for the hearing.



The court, which has space for 1,558 people, including 720 defendants and 600 lawyers, was packed with security forces surrounding the suspects as they testified.

'Be prepared'

The first suspect, a military cadet called Abdulkadir Kahraman, told the court that on the night of the coup, troops had been informed by their commander that there had been a "terror" attack and were given ammunition.

Other suspects gave similar statements, including Arif Ozan Demir who told the court the commander told them there had been an attack and that they should "be prepared".

Ankara has blamed the failed coup attempt on Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen - who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States - and his movement.

Turkey has denounced the movement as a "terrorist" organisation and the suspects on trial at Sincan are also accused of belonging to an armed "terror" group.

READ MORE: Erdogan 'assassination plot' trial begins in Mugla

The hearing is one of several cases that opened across the country this month, with 47 people going on trial in the western city of Mugla on charges of attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

A state of emergency was declared following the July 15 failed coup attempt, while more than 43,000 people have since been placed in pre-trial detention.

The state of emergency remains in place as the trials get under way in the biggest legal process in the country's history. </s> The biggest trial of suspects accused of involvement in last year's failed July coup opened in Turkey on Tuesday in a courtroom specially built to hold more than 1,500 people.

Some 330 suspects are being put on trial in Sincan outside the capital Ankara, and if convicted, they face multiple life sentences over their alleged links to the attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Over 240 of those named in the indictment are in custody, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

The suspects, many of them from the Polatli artillery and missile school command in Ankara, have been charged with murder or attempted murder.

They also stand accused of attempting to remove the government and parliament of the Turkish republic or trying to prevent those institutions from conducting their work.

The case is being heard at Sincan prison where there was heavy security in place, with a water cannon truck on site and a drone flying overhead as families arrived for the hearing.

The courtroom — which has space for 1,558 people — was packed with security forces surrounding the suspects as they testified.

The first suspect, a military cadet called Abdulkadir Kahraman, told the court that on the night of the coup, troops had been informed by their commander that there had been a terror attack and were given ammunition.

Other suspects gave similar statements, including Arif Ozan Demir who told the court the commander told them there had been an attack and that they should “be prepared”.

Ankara has blamed the failed putsch on Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen — who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States — and his movement.

Turkey has denounced the movement as a terrorist organisation and the suspects on trial at Sincan are also accused of belonging to an armed terror group.

The hearing is one of several cases that opened across the country this month, with 47 people going on trial in the western city of Mugla on charges of attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

Until now, the largest had been in the Aegean city of Izmir where 270 suspects went on trial late last month, among them Gulen who was being tried in absentia.

Following the failed putsch, Ankara declared a state of emergency and began a widespread crackdown, placing more than 43,000 people in pre-trial detention.

The state of emergency remains in place as the trials get under way in the biggest legal process in the country's history. </s> Ankara: Turkey on Monday opened the biggest trial yet over the failed July coup aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, trying 270 suspects including, in absentia, the alleged mastermind Fethullah Gulen.

The suspects, 152 of whom are in pre-trial detention, include ex high-ranking military officials like former Aegean Army Command Chief of Staff Major General Memduh Hakbilen, the state news agency Anadolu reported.

The "number one" suspect is US-based Islamic preacher Gulen who is charged with ordering the failed July 15 coup, an accusation he strongly denies.

Ankara also accuses the movement Gulen leads of being a "terror organisation" although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.

Those on trial in the western city of Izmir face multiple charges including being a member of the "armed terror group".

Turkey has repeatedly asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has been living in exile there since 1999.

The previous administration of Barack Obama had insisted that a possibly slow legal process should take its course but Ankara is hoping for a more eager response to its extradition request from new President Donald Trump.

Other charges against the suspects include seeking to prevent parliament performing its duty as well as attempting to remove the constitutional order, the agency said.

The suspects face life imprisonment if convicted in a trial expected to take two months, the Hurriyet newspaper reported.

It said Izmir was believed to be one of the main plotting hubs of the coup with the Aegean city used as a "logistical base".

A special courtroom was built to accommodate the size of the trial and security was tight ahead of the hearing.

Intensive security measures included a drone above the courthouse, bomb-sniffing dogs and commando units.

Previous trials have opened in Istanbul and smaller cases in other provinces in what is expected to be the largest legal process in the country's history.

Some 43,000 people are under arrest ahead of trial in a large-scale crackdown within a state of emergency declared after the coup which remains in place.

In December, 29 police officers went on trial in Istanbul accused of failing to defend Erdogan while 62 rebel soldiers are being tried over claims they attempted to take over Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen Airport on the night of July 15. </s> SINCAN: The biggest trial of suspects accused of involvement in last year's failed coup opened in Turkey on Tuesday (Feb 28) in a courtroom specially built to hold more than 1,500 people.

Some 330 suspects are being put on trial in Sincan outside the capital Ankara, and if convicted, they face multiple life sentences over their alleged links to the attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last July.

Over 240 of those named in the indictment are already in custody, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

The suspects, many of them from the Polatli artillery and missile school command in Ankara, have been charged with murder or attempted murder.

They also stand accused of attempting to remove the Turkish republic's government and parliament, or trying to prevent those institutions from conducting their work.

The case is being heard at Sincan prison where there was heavy security in place, with a water cannon truck on site and a drone flying overhead as families arrived for the hearing.

The courtroom - which has space for 1,558 people - was packed, with security forces surrounding the suspects as they testified.

On the night of Jul 15, hundreds of people stood outside the Polatli command base while thousands took to the streets in the district to stop the coup bid.

The first suspect, a military cadet called Abdulkadir Kahraman, told the court that on the night of the coup, troops were informed by their commander that there had been a terror attack and were given ammunition.

Other suspects gave similar statements, including Arif Ozan Demir who told the court the commander told them there had been an attack and that they should "be prepared".

Some of the suspects added that a senior army officer told them to be prepared to use their weapons, Anadolu reported.

"The lieutenant-colonel said, 'There is an attack outside, we will ensure the people's security. We trained you for this day. If needed, use weapons'," suspect Ahmet Tamur told the court.

The cadet added that some members of the public had attacked the soldiers while others helped protect them. The suspects' family members outside the prison told AFP they wanted justice.

Samet Oral urged the president to "watch our situation, to see how we are," adding: "We only ask for justice."

Sunduz Baykara said that some of the suspects were innocent of the charges and yet remained in custody. "Even though our children didn't shoot, even though they have been beaten up by the people, it has been now eight months they stand behind bars."

Ankara has blamed the failed putsch on Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen - who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States - and his movement.

Turkey has denounced the movement as a terrorist organisation and the suspects on trial at Sincan are also accused of belonging to an armed terror group.

Chief of General Staff General Hulusi Akar is one of the complainants in the case along with Gendarmerie Forces Commander General Yasar Guler.

The hearing is one of several cases that have opened across the country this month, with 47 people going on trial in the western city of Mugla on charges of attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

Until now, the largest had been in the Aegean city of Izmir where 270 suspects went on trial late last month, among them Gulen, being tried in absentia.

Following the failed putsch, Ankara declared a state of emergency and began a widespread crackdown, placing more than 43,000 people in pre-trial detention.

The state of emergency remains in place as the trials get underway in the biggest legal process in the country's history.

The first verdicts were handed down to a colonel and major last month when they were sentenced to life in jail in the northeastern city of Erzurum for violating the constitution. </s> Ankara: Turkey yesterday opened the biggest trial yet over the failed July coup aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, trying 270 suspects including, in absentia, the alleged mastermind Fethullah Gulen.

The "number one" suspect is US-based Islamic preacher Gulen, who is charged with ordering the failed coup. </s> Turkey has formally arrested more than 40,000 people during the investigation of the coup </s> Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of 105 people working in information technology who were believed to have been involved in the attempted military coup a year ago, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday.

ISTANBUL: Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of 105 people working in information technology who were believed to have been involved in the attempted military coup a year ago, state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Tuesday.

In the last year, there has been a steady stream of police operations targeting people suspected of links to the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed putsch on July 15.

Police have so far detained 52 people out of the 105 targeted by arrest warrants across eight provinces, including former staff from Turkey's scientific research council TUBITAK and a telecommunications authority, Anadolu said.

It said the suspects were believed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by Gulen's followers. Gulen has denied involvement in the attempted military takeover.

On Monday, Turkey issued arrest warrants for 72 university staff, including a former adviser to the main opposition leader who staged a mass rally on Sunday to protest against a crackdown in the last year.

About 50,000 people have been arrested and 150,000 state workers including teachers, judges and soldiers have been suspended under emergency rule imposed in late July.

Rights groups and government critics say Turkey has been drifting toward authoritarianism for years, a process they say accelerated since the coup bid and a referendum in April granting President Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers.

The government says the crackdown and constitutional changes are necessary to address security threats. More than 240 people were killed in the coup attempt. </s> ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish police say some 12,800 police officers have been suspended from duty over their suspected links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen's movement, accused by Turkey of masterminding the failed July 15 coup.

In a statement posted on its website Tuesday, the Turkish police headquarters said 2,523 of those suspended were police chiefs.

The move comes a day after the Cabinet extended by a further three months a state of emergency declared after the coup, which has facilitated the government's massive crackdown on Gulen's movement.

Tens of thousands of people have been dismissed or suspended from government jobs including in the military, police, judiciary and the education ministry. Around 32,000 people have been arrested for alleged links to the failed coup.

Gulen has denied involvement in the coup attempt. </s> A Turkish court has sentenced six prominent journalists to life in jail over the country’s failed coup in 2016.

Three were sentenced on charges of aiding the network blamed for the failed coup, TRT Haber TV reported, even after Turkey’s highest court had ordered the release of one of them.

Mehmet Altan, an economics professor and journalist, and his journalist brother Ahmet, were charged with giving coded messages in a television talk show a day before the abortive 15 July military coup. Nazlı Ilıcak, another veteran journalist, was also handed life imprisonment.

Three other defendants were also sentenced to life for trying to abolish the constitution and overthrow the government.
About 330 people with alleged links to last year's coup attempt stand trial at a prison outside Ankara on charges of murder and attempting to overthrow the government, the largest trial to date.