Turkey: Police arrest 53 FETO suspects

By Halil Demir, Gulsem Adam, Suleyman Elcin, Soner Kilinc, and Omer Sut

ISTANBUL (AA) - At least 53 people were arrested on Friday over alleged links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup attempt, according to a police source.

The suspects were arrested during counter-terror operations in 15 provinces including Izmir, Bursa, Konya and Trabzon, said the source, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

115 suspects were issued arrest warrants over alleged links to FETO, financing a terror group, and forgery of an official document.

Also, three professors were remanded in custody for alleged links to FETO in western Usak province, while 11 suspects were detained, said a judicial source, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In western Izmir province eight suspects, who are presently serving as soldiers in the Turkish military, were released on conditional bail, according to a judicial source who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Five other suspects were remanded in custody in northern Tokat province, while 10 others were released on conditional bail, said a judicial source, requesting anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.