Turkish police arrest 16 FETO terror-linked suspects

By Ahmet Akbiyik

KONYA, Turkey (AA) - Turkish police arrested at least 16 people on Wednesday for their suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, according to a security official.

In the central Konya province, 14 expelled teachers were arrested in an operation carried out by police counter-terrorism teams, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

One suspect was arrested in the southern Kahramanmaras province as part of a probe into the terrorist organization.

The suspect was accused of using the encrypted smartphone app ByLock, which was used by FETO members to communicate during and after the defeated coup.

In the central Anatolian province of Eskisehir, the smuggling and organized crime branch arrested a businessman.

The arrest came after Eskisehir prosecutors issued a warrant for the businessman. The police also found an unlicensed rifle at his house.

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