Fugitive ex-lieutenant from Erdoğan assassination plot transferred to court

Former first lieutenant Burkay Karatepe, a member of the assassination squad targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, was transferred to the Muğla Courthouse on Tuesday morning. His transfer followed a three-day interrogation after his capture in Afyonkarahisar.

Karatepe, who was expelled from the Special Forces Command, was apprehended in Afyonkarahisar. During his time on the run, he reportedly used fake identification and phone numbers. Authorities discovered approximately 6.4 million Turkish lira worth of jewelry and cash at his residence. Karatepe was also listed as a red notice fugitive by the Interior Ministry.

The Interior Ministry detailed the intelligence and operational efforts leading to Karatepe's arrest. A special task force was established under the coordination of the General Directorate of Security Intelligence. Analysis by the Afyonkarahisar and Eskişehir Intelligence branches led to the terrorist's trail. Investigations into the suspect's potential use of fake identities and disguises were conducted.

Intelligence suggested Karatepe might be working for a local firm in Afyonkarahisar. Open-source intelligence efforts were intensified, leading to the identification of a suspicious individual at a hotel meeting in April 2026. This individual, who concealed his face with a cap, had registered under a false name. It was confirmed that he was using fake IDs and someone else's phone numbers. Two safe houses on the same street in Afyonkarahisar were placed under surveillance. An operation was launched when the suspect moved to a third address. On the night of August 1, 2026, a joint operation by Afyonkarahisar and Eskişehir Intelligence units, along with Afyonkarahisar TEM teams, resulted in the arrest of the fugitive Burkay Karatepe in a safe house.

Searches at the abandoned safe house, which lacked electricity and water, yielded a significant amount of assets. These included 98 Ata Lira coins, four half gold coins, 23 quarter gold coins, 50 grams of gold bullion, 33,700 U.S. dollars, 2,620 euros, and 13,535 Turkish lira. Additionally, investigators found a laptop, a hard disk, eight USB drives, three mobile phones, four SIM cards, organizational documents, a fake ID card belonging to another person, a military parka, two knives, and 1.26 grams of cannabis.