Police arrest more than 80 FETO suspects across Turkey

By Necat Hazar, Zafer Fatih Beyaz, Sertac Bulur, Omer Yildiz and Yusuf Koyun

VAN/ANKARA/ADANA, Turkey (AA) - Police arrested 84 FETO suspects during early morning operations across Turkey on Friday.

Out of the total suspects, 12 including eight active and former soldiers were arrested during police operations in 15 Turkish provinces. According to Van Police Department, simultaneous operations were carried out in Van, Isparta, Bitlis, Ankara, Manisa, Izmir, Antalya, Tokat, Balikesir, Bingol, Konya, Kocaeli, Kastamonu, Hakkari and Sirnak provinces.

Separately, police arrested 38 FETO suspects in capital Ankara, according to Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara. The suspects were affiliated to a labor confederation closed under a decree-law for its FETO links.

Also, Ankara police arrested 24 other FETO suspects as part of their anti-terror operation against FETO's set-up within the Turkish police.

Ten others were arrested in Mediterranean provinces of Adana and Mersin, and northwestern provinces of Istanbul and Balikesir.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization 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.