Turkey: Dozens of academics detained in FETO probe

By Halil Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish police arrested 51 academics associated with Istanbul University on Friday as part of its probe into the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Early Friday, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued 87 arrest warrants for suspects accused of being part of a FETO network at Turkish universities.

Fifty-one were later detained by Organized Crime Department teams in operations which took place in 12 provinces.

Among those arrested are professors, associate professors, lecturers and assistants. An operation to detain the remaining 36 suspects is underway, an anonymous security source told Anadolu Agency.

Led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, FETO is accused of orchestrating the July 15 coup plot in Turkey as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

The July 15 defeated coup left 248 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.