Turkey Football Legend Linked In Failed Coup, Arrest Warrant Issued

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09.09.2003. Republic of Ireland v Turkey (2-2) - Turkey's Hakan Sukur after scoring the equaliser against the Republic of Ireland during the international friendly soccer match at Lansdowne Road, Dublin. Pic: AP / John Cogill

The Turkish government has issued an Arrest Warrant for World Cup star and Football legend Hakan Sukur, over his alleged involvement in the failed coup that rocked Turkey.

The retired footballer is being accused by of “being a member of an armed terror group”, according to the country’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

According to The Sun, the accusation is in reference to the organisation of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who Turkey claims was behind the coup.

Online reports indicate that Sukur’s house in the US was searched in the hunt for evidence. Hakan Sukur and his family moved to the United States last year.

Before that 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

As a footballer he’s credited with scoring the fastest ever goal in the World cup when he scored in 10 seconds against South-Korea in the 2002 world cup third place match.

ROM12D:SPORT-SOCCER:MILAN,ITALY,6JUL00 - Turkish player Hakan Sukur gestures as he poses with the jersey of his new Italian team during official presentation at Inter-Milan headquarter in Milan July 6. (NOARK) vp/ANSA/Photo by Carlo Ferraro REUTERS
ROM12D:SPORT-SOCCER:MILAN,ITALY,6JUL00 – Turkish player Hakan Sukur gestures as he poses with the jersey of his new Italian team during official presentation at Inter-Milan headquarter in Milan July 6. (NOARK) vp/ANSA/Photo by Carlo Ferraro REUTERS

 

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