9 FETO suspects arrested in southeastern Turkey

By Rauf Maltas

SANLIURFA, Turkey (AA) – A total of nine suspects were arrested in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday over their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup.

As part of the investigation launched by the prosecutor's office in Sanliurfa province, the suspects were nabbed by the local police teams of anti-smuggling and organized crime in simultaneous operations conducted in certain addresses both in Sanliurfa and Turkish metropolis Istanbul.

Among detained suspects were public and private sector workers, as well as a police sub-inspector, said security sources.

The suspects, who had undergone a health check, were taken into custody.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

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

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara