Turkey: 22 suspects arrested over police exam fraud

By Kemal Karadag and Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) – At least 22 suspected members of FETO -- the terrorist group behind a defeated coup in 2016 -- have been arrested across Turkey for alleged involvement in police exam fraud, police sources said on Wednesday.

Police rounded up the suspects during operations in 29 provinces, including the capital Ankara, after Ankara prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 34 Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) suspects.

The suspects are accused of leaking the commissioner exam to FETO-linked police officers ahead of the 2011 test, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The hunt for the other suspects is underway.

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.