Turkey issues arrest warrants for 27 FETO suspects

By Omer Yildiz

ADANA, Turkey (AA) - Turkish prosecutors in Adana province issued arrest warrants Wednesday for 27 suspects over their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, said a security source.

The suspects, including 12 active-duty soldiers in the Turkish Armed Forces, were accused of periodically making contact with their terror affiliates via payphone, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Police launched simultaneous operations across 14 provinces, including the capital Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.