Turkey seeks life jail terms for coup suspects at air base

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking life prison terms for nearly four dozen people stationed at an air base outside Ankara from where coup-plotters allegedly led the July 15 failed coup attempt.

Anadolu Agency says the 45 are among a total of 481 people formally charged by prosecutors in a 4,658-page indictment issued Friday.

The 481 suspects include 25 generals stationed at Akinci Air Base as well as 25 pilots who are accused of commandeering F-16 jets that flew low over the cities of Ankara and Istanbul or bombed key government installations.

Turkey blames the coup on a network of followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The cleric denies involvement.

The indictment needs to be approved by an Ankara court before a trial date is set.