Lion's share of fugitive members of terror group behind failed 2016 coup bid now in US, Germany: Turkish interior minister

By Huseyin Cem Dagistanli and Muhammed Nuri Erdogan

Some 16% of fugitive members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye, are believed to be in the US, and 23% in Germany, according to a top Turkish official.

Speaking to Anadolu days before the eighth anniversary of the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that thanks to Türkiye’s determined fight against FETO, the group can no longer operate within Türkiye’s borders.

He also mentioned ongoing operations to expose the organization's attempts to restructure itself.

"Thanks to investigations done within our ministry, 44,444 individuals have been dismissed from various units, and precautionary measures continue for 849 individuals."

"Starting from the December 17-25 (2013) period and continuing uninterrupted after the treacherous coup attempt on July 15, operations have significantly constrained FETO's activities in our country. Despite this, we know FETO is trying to persist in its activities.

"Our law enforcement agencies, in coordination with judicial authorities, closely monitor and launch operations against identified targets," he said.

Yerlikaya stressed the efforts will continue with the same determination until the last member of the terrorist group has to face justice.

"During this Cabinet term, in 6,025 operations targeting FETO members, 9,738 individuals were detained, 1,697 were arrested, and judicial control measures were imposed on 2,036 individuals," he added.

The defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded, was plotted and carried out by FETO and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen has long lived in the US state of Pennsylvania. Turkish leaders have long sought his extradition, but US judicial officials have not approved it.

- 'Most FETO activities have moved abroad'

Following successful operations against FETO, a significant portion of the terror group’s activities were shifted abroad, said Yerlikaya.

Wanted individuals are trying to illegally flee abroad, he said, stressing that the group is focusing on international infiltration using institutions like schools, the media, civil society groups, and businesses.

- 23% of fugitive group members in Germany

Yerlikaya noted that the terror group, after the 2016 coup attempt, has been trying to finance its domestic activities and sustain its presence in Türkiye with income reaped abroad.

He said: "Although this has been explained to our counterparts, approximately 16% of fugitive organization members are believed to be in the US and approximately 23% in Germany."

Fetullah Gulen, the group’s leader, has long lived in the US state of Pennsylvania. Turkish leaders have sought his extradition for years, but US judicial officials have not approved it.

As a group that tries to exploit religion, FETO is open to use by international intelligence agencies, Yerlikaya added.

"This is a key reason why some countries adopt and do not recognize it as a terror group," he said.

Yerlikaya reported that coordinated efforts with Turkish foreign missions have clarified the organization's true nature and objectives to officials of other countries, with ongoing initiatives.

Thanks to these efforts, a total of 136 individuals from 31 countries have been extradited to Türkiye or deported from their host countries.

- Determined fight

Yerlikaya stressed the crucial and prioritized stance of resolutely combating terrorism, regardless of the group involved, in Türkiye's long-standing fight against terrorism.

He underscored the ongoing, relentless fight against FETO, noting that it has led to the exposure of many tactics and methods of the group, with legal actions taken against individuals involved.

Yerlikaya said many of FETO's attempts have been unsuccessful and its members have been apprehended based on their findings.

He added: "Our law enforcement units, acting as an intelligence organization in combating FETO, share and coordinate their findings and methods effectively."

- 'No terror will divide unity of this nation'

"Under the leadership of our president, our cherished nation stood firm against tanks and deadly weapons. I want our people to know that no terrorist group, regardless of its name, will ever shake the unity, brotherhood, and indivisible integrity of this nation," Yerlikaya said.

"In the lands of Anatolia, every inch is soaked with the blood of martyrs, our star-and-crescent flag will never come down from the sky, and the call to prayer from our minarets will never be silenced," he added.

Yerlikaya stressed their unwavering determination to combat all separatist and destructive ambitions aimed at Türkiye, wherever they may arise in the world.

He reaffirmed their resolve to fight FETO, declaring: "Our fight against FETO, which attempted a treacherous coup against our national will and future, will continue steadfastly, without compromise, today and in the future."

Yerlikaya praised the martyrs who sacrificed themselves for our country's unity, integrity, survival, and values, and voiced best wishes to Türkiye’s heroic veterans.