Turkey: 11 detained in FETO probe in Istanbul

By Halil Demir and Muhammed Enes Can

ANKARA (AA) - Eleven suspects were detained Monday in Istanbul-based operations as part of an anti-Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) probe, according to security and judicial sources.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 17 suspects accused of being part of the FETO network and operating as city "imams" for the group, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

So far, 11 of the 17 suspects have been detained by Istanbul’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department. Simultaneous operations in Istanbul, Ankara, Trabzon, Yalova, Kocaeli, Artvin, and Tokat continue.

According to the Turkish government, FETO leader Fetullah Gulen is the mastermind behind the failed July 15 coup attempt, which left 248 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara has also said FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary. In the wake of the coup attempt, tens of thousands of FETO suspects have been arrested, including many in the armed forces, police, judicial system, and the education system.