Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The soldiers, who appeared at the Greek Supreme Court on Thursday, say they would not receive a fair trial in Turkey

Turkey has reacted with anger after a Greek court ruled against extraditing eight Turkish soldiers accused of involvement in an attempted coup.

Turkey accused Greece of failing in the "fight against terrorism" and said the decision was "politically motivated".

The eight men fled in a helicopter to Greece after last July's coup attempt but say they were not involved.

Presiding judge Giorgos Sakkas said the men were unlikely to receive a fair trial in Turkey.

Turkey has demanded the three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors return to stand trial. The soldiers have argued their lives would be in danger.

They are accused of playing a significant part in the coup attempt on 15 July 2016, and of having links with a group which allegedly tried to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the night of the attempted coup.

"We protest this decision which prevents these individuals who have threatened the life of our president and took an active role in a coup attempt that killed 248 of our citizens... from appearing in front of Turkish judiciary," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

In retaliation to the Greek Supreme Court's ruling, an Istanbul court has approved a request from prosecutors for an arrest warrant for the eight soldiers.

A turn for the worse: Analysis by the BBC's Selin Girit in Istanbul

Turkish-Greek relations have gone through very difficult phases in the past, but the general understanding was that those days were over. Now, relations between the two countries risk a dramatic turn for the worse.

Ankara's heavy-handed response in contesting the Greek Supreme Court's ruling with the issuing of an arrest warrant is a clear accusation to Athens of a failure to co-operate in the arrests of Kurdish or ultra-leftist militants in the past - a general understanding shared by nationalists in Turkey.

The extradition bid had become a source of tension between Ankara and Athens in the last few months. Several closed-door meetings reportedly took place between the two countries' foreign ministry officials but no solution could be reached.

The case has presented a diplomatic dilemma for Greece and created new tensions between the two Nato allies. They have a complex relationship and are currently working together to help negotiate a peace deal in divided Cyprus.

Greek Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis said before the verdict that he would respect the decision and not intervene.

The eight soldiers in Greece have said that their relatives in Turkey have lost jobs and had their passports confiscated since they fled.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The short-lived coup saw tanks on the streets of the Turkish capital Ankara

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In the wake of the coup attempt, tens of thousands of people from every level of Turkish society have been purged from their jobs, including military officers, government officials and schoolteachers.

Critics of Mr Erdogan say he has used the failed uprising as a way of removing his opponents and tightening his hold on power.

The Turkish government says that it has taken legitimate action to root out "terrorist" groups that had infiltrated the state.

It blamed US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who leads a mass movement in Turkey, for the bloody coup attempt. He denies any involvement.

Soon after the soldiers arrived in Greece, they were given two-month suspended prison sentences for illegally entering the country.

'A scandal' - Turkish media respond to the ruling, by Pinar Sevinclidir, BBC Monitoring

Pro-government news outlets have branded the decision "a scandal" and accused Greece of "protecting the coup soldiers".

Yeni Safak daily said Greece was taking the plotters under its wing and Aksam newspaper called the ruling "a historical disgrace"

A Haber TV report hinted at a diplomatic crisis, saying "the relationship between Turkey and Greece will change after this decision".</s>Greece: Supreme Court rejects extradition request for all 8 Turkish servicemen who fled by helicopter after coup attempt.</s>Greece's Supreme Court has ruled against extraditing eight Turkish soldiers whom the Turkish government accuses of being involved in last July's attempted coup.

The eight men fled in a helicopter to Greece after the coup attempt but say they were not involved.

Turkey has demanded they return to stand trial. The soldiers say their lives would be in danger.

The case has presented a diplomatic dilemma for Greece.

Senior prosecutors had argued against agreeing to extradition. The court's decision is final and cannot be appealed against.</s>Greece's Supreme Court ruled against the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in July after a failed coup attempt in Turkey, a decision which angered Ankara and further strained relations between the two neighbours. The eight Turkish soldiers, who fled to Greece in a helicopter and requested political asylum after a failed military coup against the government, are escorted by police officers as they arrive at the Supreme Court in Athens, Greece, January 26, 2017.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Channelnewsasia.com.</s>A Greek court has refused an extradition request from Turkey for eight soldiers accused of being involved in a failed coup attempt last July.

Greek Supreme Court judge Giorgos Sakkas ruled on Thursday (26 January) that the servicemen would not receive a fair trial in their homeland and must stay in Greece.

The Turkish government had demanded that the officers be handed over and reacted with anger, sparking fears of a diplomatic crisis. Authorities stated that Greece had failed in the "fight against terrorism" with its decision and the ruling was "politically motivated".

The eight men fled Turkey in a helicopter on 16 July, just hours after the failed coup attempt and claimed political asylum upon arrival in Greece.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later blamed the revolt on US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The soldiers, believed to be three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors, deny involvement in the coup inside Turkey's capital Ankara, and reject having links to a planned assassination attempt against Erdoğan.

They were expected to stand trial in Turkey but successfully argued their lives would be in danger.

"The possibility of their rights being violated or reduced regardless of the degree of guilt or the gravity of the crimes they are accused of does not allow the implementation of extradition rules," a Supreme Court president said according to Reuters.

A purge of the military and civil service began in the days following the botched coup.

Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement: "We protest this decision which prevents these individuals who have threatened the life of our president and took an active role in a coup attempt that killed 248 of our citizens... from appearing in front of Turkish judiciary."

The state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Turkish authorities had issued arrest warrants for the soldiers and that Turkey would "use all avenues of law" to ensure the soldiers' extradition and prosecution.

Before the verdict, Greek Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis said he would respect the decision while the soldiers' lawyer, Christos Mylonopoulos, said the verdict was "a big victory for European values".

The men said that their relatives in their home country have lost jobs and had their passports confiscated. It is understood that they will remain in protective custody pending final decisions on their asylum applications.

An ongoing purge since the coup attempt has seen tens of thousands of people arrested, including lawyers, teachers, clerics and journalists.</s>Greece's Supreme Court ruled against the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in July after a failed coup attempt in Turkey, a decision which angered Ankara and further strained relations between the two neighbors.Turkey has demanded Greece extradite them, alleging they were involved in the coup attempt and has branded them traitors.The men -- three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors -- landed a helicopter in northern Greece on July 16 and sought political asylum saying they feared for their lives in Turkey.They deny playing a role in the attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan, which led to a purge of the military and civil service."The possibility of their rights being violated or reduced regardless of the degree of guilt or the gravity of the crimes they are accused of does not allow the implementation of extradition rules," a Supreme Court president said.The soldiers have been kept in protective custody pending final decisions on their asylum applications in Greece. Their lawyer Christos Mylonopoulos said the verdict was "a big victory for European values".But the decision brought an angry response from the Turkish foreign ministry, which accused Greece of protecting plotters and said relations between the two countries would be reviewed.Turkey would "use all avenues of law" to ensure the soldiers' extradition and prosecution, it added."Once again Greece, an ally and a neighbor, has failed to fulfill the basics of the fight against terrorism," it said."The impact of this decision thought to be made with political motives on our mutual ties, our cooperation in the fight against terrorism and our work on other mutual and regional issues will be subject to a comprehensive review."The state-run Anadolu news agency reported earlier that Turkish authorities had issued arrest warrants for the soldiers.The soldiers have been accused in Turkey of attempting to abrogate the constitution, attempting to dissolve parliament and seizing a helicopter using violence and for attempting to assassinate Erdogan.Relations between Greece and Turkey, neighbors and NATO allies, have improved over the years but they remain at odds over territorial disputes and ethnically split Cyprus. In 1996, they almost reached the brink of war over an uninhabited islet.The two countries play an important role in the handling of Europe's worst migration crisis in decades and the EU depends on Ankara to enforce a deal to stem mass migration to Europe.</s>Greek top court rules against extradition of eight Turkish soldiers

ATHENS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Greece's Supreme Court ruled against the extradition of all eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in July after a failed coup attempt in Turkey, a court official said on Thursday.

The eight men landed a helicopter in northern Greece on July 16 and sought political asylum saying they feared for their lives in Turkey.

Turkey has demanded Greece extradite them alleging they were involved in the coup attempt and has branded them traitors. They all deny involvement in the attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan, which led to a purge of the military and civil service. (Reporting by Constantinos Georgizas; Writing by Renee Maltezou)</s>Turkish authorities have issued arrest warrants for eight soldiers who fled to Greece after July's failed coup attempt in Turkey, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Thursday.

The decision by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s office came directly after Greece’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday against the extradition of the soldiers, accused by Turkey of being involved in last summer's abortive putsch.

Turkey’s foreign ministry accused Greece of protecting coup plotters and failing in the fight against terrorism.

In a statement, the Turkish foreign ministry said the Greek ruling appears politically motivated, is against international law, and breaches the rights of the victims of the July 15 coup attempt. It said Turkey would continue efforts to ensure the soldiers’ extradition and prosecution.

“We protest this decision which prevents these individuals who have threatened the life of our president and took an active role in a coup attempt that killed 248 of our citizens ... from appearing in front of Turkish judiciary,” the statement said.

“Once again Greece, an ally and a neighbour, has failed to fulfill the basics of the fight against terrorism,” it said, also accusing Athens of harbouring far-left and Kurdish militant groups that have carried out attacks in Turkey.

The men—three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors—landed a helicopter in northern Greece on July 16 and sought political asylum saying they feared for their lives in Turkey. They deny a role in the attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan, which led to a purge of the military and civil service.

The eight stand accused of attempting to abrogate the Turkish constitution and dissolve parliament, seizing a helicopter using violence, and of attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

“The possibility of their rights being violated or reduced regardless of the degree of guilt or the gravity of the crimes they are accused of does not allow the implementation of extradition rules,” a Greek Supreme Court president said.

The court ruled that the soldiers, who have been kept in protective custody pending final decisions on their asylum applications, must be freed. The rulings cannot be overturned.

In addition to demanding their extradition, Turkey has branded the men traitors, in a case which has highlighted the sometimes strained relations between the two neighbours and NATO allies at odds over a series of issues ranging from the divided island of Cyprus to air fights over the Aegean Sea.

Their lawyer Christos Mylonopoulos said the verdict was “a big victory for European values”.

The two countries play an important role in the handling of Europe’s worst migration crisis in decades and the EU depends on Ankara to enforce a deal to stem mass migration to Europe.</s>Greece’s supreme court ruled against the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece in July after a failed coup attempt in Turkey, a decision which is likely to anger Ankara.

Turkey has demanded Greece extradite them, alleging they were involved in the coup attempt and has branded them traitors.

The men — three majors, three captains and two sergeant-majors — landed a helicopter in northern Greece on July 16 and sought political asylum saying they feared for their lives in Turkey. They deny playing a role in the attempt to oust President Tayyip Erdogan, which led to a purge of the military and civil service.

“The possibility of their rights being violated or reduced regardless of the degree of guilt or the gravity of the crimes they are accused of does not allow the implementation of extradition rules,” a supreme court president said.

The court ruled that the soldiers, who have been kept in protective custody pending final decisions on their asylum applications, must be freed. The rulings cannot be overturned.

Their lawyer Christos Mylonopoulos said the verdict was “a big victory for European values”.

The soldiers have been accused in Turkey of attempting to abrogate the constitution, attempting to dissolve parliament and seizing a helicopter using violence and for attempting to assassinate Erdogan.

The case has highlighted the sometimes strained relations between Greece and Turkey, neighbours and Nato allies at odds over a series of issues ranging from the divided island of Cyprus to air fights over the Aegean Sea.

The two countries play an important role in the handling of Europe’s worst migration crisis in decades and the EU depends on Ankara to enforce a deal to stem mass migration to Europe.</s>Turkey says Greece protecting coup plotters after court ruling on soldiers

ISTANBUL, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign ministry said Greece was protecting plotters and failing in the fight against terrorism after the Greek Supreme Court ruled on Thursday against the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers wanted in connection with a coup attempt.

The Greek ruling is against international law, appears to have been politically motivated, and breaches the rights of the victims of the July 15 coup attempt, the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. It said Turkey would continue efforts to ensure the soldiers' extradition and prosecution.
The Supreme Court of Greece rejects the extradition of eight soldiers accused by Turkey of involvement in the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt.