Turkey: 240 FETO coup bid suspects arrested

By Sefa Mutlu and Halil Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - Istanbul-based raids have arrested 240 out of 360 suspected members of the group behind last year’s defeated coup, said a judicial source Thursday.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members were arrested in raids against the military structure of the terror group, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

After Istanbul prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 360 FETO suspects, police launched simultaneous operations in 49 provinces and arrested 172 suspects on Wednesday.

Police arrested 68 more suspects on Thursday.

The judicial source said the warrants focused mainly on military personnel, some of them fired following the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

But the majority -- 216 -- were active-duty soldiers.

Among the active-duty and fired personnel arrested were seven colonels, two lieutenants, 22 majors, 25 captains, 30 military students, and many lower-ranking officers, said the source.

Most suspects were brought to Istanbul Police Headquarter after a health checkup.

The official said 27 of the suspects were so-called “imams” -- senior figures within FETO responsible for coordinating cells within the armed forces.

FETO members in the military were at the fore of last year's attempted coup that saw 250 people martyred and 2,200 injured.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 15 defeated coup.

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.