A ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy has declared that NATO is a “terror organization,” saying the alliance has become a “structure threatening Turkey,” the Hurriyet Daily News reports. 

In an interview with pro-government daily Milat, AKP Gaziantep deputy Şamil Tayyar claimed that NATO had “always been involved in activities targeting Turkey” since its establishment.

“Turkey has been subjected to coups since it joined NATO. NATO has always been in charge of the dirty and bloody deeds in the country. The 1960 military coup was staged by the British, the 1971 coup was staged by the CIA, and the 1980 coup was staged by NATO. In NATO’s new plan, a Turkey with [President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan should not exist,” Tayyar said.
“NATO has become a threat and is spreading terror organizations across the region. You can designate NATO along with DEASH [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – ISIL], the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] and FETÖ [Fethullahist Terror Organization],” he said.

Tayyar also suggested that Turkey may opt for shutting down the İncirlik Air Base, located in the southern province of Adana and used by NATO jets, “as a precaution.”

The AKP deputy said Ankara “could open a new page” with Washington under new President Donald Trump, but warned that Turkey could downgrade bilateral relations and withdraw from NATO if its demands from the new administration, including “the extradition of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen and halting support to terror organizations in Syria,” are not met.

“NATO exists as a product of the Cold War era. It is unnecessary for us to stay in NATO as it has turned into a structure threatening Turkey rather than protecting it,” he said.