A lawyer says the eight Turkish military officers charged in Greece with illegal entry claim they initially knew nothing about Friday's coup attempt.

Ilia Marinaki says the officers were ordered to carry injured people in their helicopter. She says that soon after finding out the coup, they were fired at by police, were scared and crossed the border, emitting a distress signal. They were allowed to land at Alexandroupolis, the closest airport inside Greece.

The officers are being held in the town of Ferres, near Alexandroupolis, and are in court Monday.