22 FETO terrorist suspects arrested across Turkey

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz and Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - At least 22 suspects were arrested across Turkey for alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, said a police source on Friday.

The arrests came after Ankara prosecutors issued warrants for 52 suspects in eight provinces -- including the capital Ankara -- as part of a probe into the terrorist group’s financial structure.

Among the suspects were some businessmen, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The hunt for other suspects is ongoing, the source added.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.