Turkey jails generals

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim yesterday warned against exacting revenge on supporters of the failed coup, as Ankara arrested top generals in a relentless crackdown that has sparked global alarm.

Erdogan has denounced the coup bid, which left more than 300 dead on all sides, as a treacherous bid to oust him from power devised from the US compound of his arch-enemy, exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen.

But with the authorities detaining over 7,500 people so far in a massive legal crackdown and sacking almost 9,000 people, Turkey's EU and Nato allies have urged Ankara to keep the rule of law in place.

Erdogan's suggestion that the death penalty could be reinstated has sent shudders through Europe and sparked warnings such a move would be the nail in the coffin of its already embattled bid to join the EU, reports AFP.

An Ankara court late Monday placed under arrest 26 former generals suspected of planning Friday's attempted power grab, including former air force chief General Akin Ozturk, whom some Turkish media have painted as the mastermind of the plot.

Ankara has piled the pressure on Washington to extradite Gulen to face trial at home but US Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he wanted to see evidence and not allegations.

Yildirim said yesterday that Turkey had sent four dossiers to the United States over Gulen's alleged links to the overthrow plot.

Turkey's broadcasting watchdog yesterday cancelled licences of all radio and television stations determined to have links with a religious movement whose followers are accused of staging a failed coup, reports Reuters.

Education Ministry suspended 15,200 personnel in connection with a failed military coup, private broadcaster NTV reported.