Sweden approves court decision in December to reject Türkiye’s extradition request for 4 terror fugitives

By Atila Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - A court decision to reject an extradition request for four terror suspects to Türkiye was approved last month by the Swedish government, according to media reports Friday.

The government approved the decision Dec. 22, said Sweden's news agency TT.

The fugitives were on a list that Türkiye demanded from Sweden during its NATO membership process, said the report.

It said the fugitives are accused of crimes related to the July 15, 2016, coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and spying against Türkiye.

Murat Cetiner, former police chief and a user of the terror group’s encrypted messaging app, ByLock, told Swedish state television that he is one of the four and was happy about the country’s decision to reject the extradition request.

Cetiner is also known as the "mastermind" behind the terror group's illegal wiretapping structure.

On Dec. 19, Sweden's top court rejected another request by Türkiye to extradite Bulent Kenes -- a fugitive terror suspect living on Swedish soil.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine.

But Türkiye -- a NATO member for more than 70 years -- voiced objections, accusing the two countries of tolerating and even supporting terror groups, including the PKK and the FETO.

Last June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at a NATO summit to address Ankara's legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance.

FETO orchestrated a defeated coup in Türkiye on July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded. 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.