Turkish police arrest FETO leader's cousin

By Halil Demir

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish police on Friday arrested cousin of Fetullah Gulen, the U.S.-based leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), who is accused of plotting the July 15 defeated coup attempt.

On Thursday, an Istanbul court had released Kemalettin Gulen while imposing a ban on him from leaving the country, said a police source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media.

However, over a prosecutor’s objection, the court issued an arrest warrant for Gulen, who was later arrested during an anti-terror operation in Istanbul.

Gulen was accused of "being a member of an armed terrorist organization".

FETO and its leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt 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.