Turkish 1980 Coup Leader Has No Regrets

Turkish media say the leader of the country's 1980 military coup has defended himself in court, describing the takeover as a necessary act he would repeat under the same conditions today.

The state-run Anadolu Agency says Kenan Evren gave a testimony to court through a video conference system from his hospital bed Wednesday.

Anadolu and other media quoted the 95-year-old Evren as saying Turkey's military wasn't a "power-hungry" institution, but had been forced to intervene because of the politicians' "incompetence."

Evren is on trial since April — along with the only other surviving coup leader, Tahsin Sahinkaya — for the takeover that stopped deadly fighting between political extremists but also led to a wave of executions and torture.

The two had not attended previous hearings because of ill-heath.