Intel gathering

CIA Chief Hedges When Asked if U.S. Saw Turkey Coup Coming

Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan said intelligence officials were well aware of strains within Turkey and sizable opposition to PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan, but he wouldn't say whether they foresaw an attempted coup last week.

Mr. Brennan, speaking Tuesday evening to an audience at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, described the setting U.S. officials were in Friday night when the attempted coup was unfolding.

“The first thing you do when you have a situation like that is you try to ascertain the facts, and a lot of time…it’s very very difficult because a lot of information is coming in and it is hard to distinguish between rumors,” he said.