NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday hailed the Turkish people's courage in defeating the July 15 putsch, which he called an "attack on democracy", saying a strong Turkey was "essential" for European and regional security.

"Any attack on democracy, in any of our countries, is an attack on the very foundation of our alliance," he said in a statement after meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara.

"A strong and democratic Turkey is essential for the stability and security of Europe and the region," he said.

The NATO head was one of the top Western officials to visit Turkey in the wake of the attempted coup aimed at bringing down the Turkish government.

Erdogan has blamed the military action on a rouge group within the army loyal to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has denied the charges from his compound in Pennyslvania.

The Turkish strongman has however criticised what he said was a lack of Western support for his government after the bloody coup attempt, accusing Europe of backing coup plotters who sought his ouster.

Erdogan's massive crackdown on suspects in the wake of the botched coup has raised alarm bells in Europe, which has warned Ankara not to compromise on democratic norms.

NATO has condemned the coup in solidarity with the Turkish government but remained cautious on the purge of tens of thousands of people in the putsch's aftermath.

On Friday, Stoltenberg is due to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, as well as the country's defence and foreign ministers.

Turkish court arrests pastry magnate in coup probe
Istanbul (AFP) Sept 8, 2016 - A Turkish court Thursday ordered the arrest of the chairman of a famed pastry manufacturer and the CEO of a clothing company as well two dozen other businessmen for alleged links to the failed July 15 coup.

Faruk Gullu, the chairman of the Faruk Gulluoglu chain of sweet shops and restaurants, was remanded in custody by an Istanbul court on charges of being a member of the group of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen which is blamed for the failed coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.

Faruk Gulluoglu is one of Turkey's best known suppliers of baklava, the traditional sweet pastry that rounds off meals, and its main shop is a magnet for tourists in Istanbul.

Nejat Gullu, Faruk's brother and the chairman of the similarly-named but rival Gulluoglu baklava firm, had also been detained but was ordered to be released by the court, the agency added.

But the court also remanded in custody Omer Faruk Kavurmaci, CEO of the Aydinli Group clothing retailer, one of the most prominent business figures detained after the coup.

Kavurmaci is the son-in-law of Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas, a ruling party member and close associate of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The company owns the rights to the brands US Polo Assn, Cacharel and Pierre Cardin in Turkey and across the region. Kavurmaci is charged with "membership of a terror group", Anadolu said.

Twenty-five other suspects linked to the business world were also placed under arrest ahead of trial, the agency said, without giving their names. Thirty-seven suspects were released under judicial control.

All had been detained in raids in mid-August with their detention periods prolonged in line with the three-month state of emergency imposed after the coup.

Turkey has pressed a relentless crackdown after the coup, with some 20,000 people from all professions including the military, education and journalism detained.

In a separate development, Istanbul prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 92 more people, including six generals, on suspicion of links to Gulen and the coup, Turkish media said.

Gulen has ridiculed the accusations that he masterminded the coup bid aimed at toppling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But Ankara is pressing Washington for his extradition, accusing Gulen of leading a "terror" group.

Meanwhile two fugitive Turkish admirals were detained late on Wednesday after almost two months on the run, the Dogan news agency said.

Admirals Nazmi Ekici and Hayrettin Imren, who were posted at bases in western Turkey, were detained in Tuzla outside Istanbul.

They will in the next days appear before a judge to decide if to remand them in custody. Newspaper reports said they had been preparing to flee to Greece.

The coup investigation has so far seen the arrest of over 150 admirals and generals, half of Turkey's entire contingent of top-ranking military, forcing a massive shake-up in the armed forces.