50 suspected FETO fugitives caught en route to Rhodes

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) – Fifty fugitive suspected members of FETO, the terrorist group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, were received by Turkish Interpol officials after trying to illegally cross to a Greek island, Turkey's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

According to a statement, the ministry said the fugitives were received by officials of the Turkish Security Directorate's Interpol Department for legal proceedings.

The fugitives were caught on Saturday while trying to illegally cross to the Greek island of Rhodes from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the statement said.

Among the fugitives rounded up were ex-soldiers, teachers, and a carpenter.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 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.