FETO suspect at US Consulate gives additional testimony

By Muhammed Enes Can

ISTANBUL (AA) - Metin Topuz's recent testimony, affirmed his communication with leading Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) figures, the group behind last year’s defeated coup in Turkey.

Topuz is the U.S. Istanbul Consulate's local employee that was remanded to custody in October. His testimony stated he went to the U.S. in 2012 with former Istanbul Deputy Branch Director for Combating Financial Crime, Yasin Topcu and former police chief, Yakup Saygili as well as former bureau chief, Ibrahim Sener. They are the FETO suspects involved in carrying out the Dec. 17-25, 2013, so-called graft probe against top government officials to overthrow Turkey’s elected government.

While in the U.S., Topuz arranged several meetings for Topcu, Saygili and Sener with U.S. authorities, that included top U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials as well as U.S. attorneys according to judicial sources speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The Bureau of Terror and Organized Crime of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested additional testimony from Topuz upon learning of his contacts with former prosecutor Zekeriya Oz, a key FETO fugitive accused of attempting to overthrow the government through the use of force.

The initial statutory statement sent by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to the Criminal Court said Topuz was charged with “attempt to eliminate constitutional order”, “espionage” and “attempt to overthrow the government of Turkey.”

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