Turkish court releases more than 40 FETO suspects

By Baris Kilic

ANKARA (AA) - A total of 42 people imprisoned for suspected links with Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) have been released in the last two days by Turkish courts, according to a security official Saturday.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 15, 2016, defeated coup that left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 others injured.

The suspects had been accused of using the encrypted ByLock mobile app linked to FETO, the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

On Friday, 293 people were also released.

Their release follows an announcement Wednesday that some alleged ByLock users had been unwittingly “directed” to the app.

Investigators have discovered that 11,480 smartphone users were directed to ByLock app without their knowledge, Ankara Chief Prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.

They have now been removed from an updated list of ByLock users passed to prosecutors across Turkey while courts have also been told to reexamine such cases.