UPDATE 2 - Police arrest more than 100 FETO suspects across Turkey

UPDATES WITH MORE ARRESTS

By Necat Hazar, Recep Bilek, Emrah Yasar, Muzahim Zahid Tuzun

ANKARA (AA) - Police arrested 123 FETO suspects during early morning operations across Turkey on Friday.

Out of the total, 12 suspects, including eight active and former soldiers were arrested during police operations in 15 Turkish provinces. According to Van Police Department, simultaneous operations were carried out in Van, Isparta, Bitlis, Ankara, Manisa, Izmir, Antalya, Tokat, Balikesir, Bingol, Konya, Kocaeli, Kastamonu, Hakkari and Sirnak provinces.

Separately, police arrested 38 FETO suspects in the capital, according to Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara. The suspects were affiliated to a labor confederation closed under a decree-law for its FETO links.

Also, Ankara police arrested 24 other FETO suspects as part of their anti-terror operation against FETO's setup within the Turkish police.

Ten others were arrested in Mediterranean provinces of Adana and Mersin, and northwestern provinces of Istanbul and Balikesir.

Police also arrested 25 suspects who were employees of a FETO-linked publishing company, Isik Publishing.

A police source told Anadolu Agency that Istanbul police also launched a simultaneous operation to catch 55 suspects in 13 provinces, including Istanbul. So far, they nabbed 25 suspects out of the total, the source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Seven suspects, including a dismissed civil servant were also arrested as part of a FETO probe in Samsun, Kirikkale and Ordu provinces, Samsun police said. The suspects were accused of working for FETO-linked firms and using ByLock, an encrypted cellphone app said to be used by FETO members to communicate during and after the defeated 2016 coup.

One more FETO suspect was held in central province of Eskisehir. During a search of suspect Yilmaz Y.'s home, police seized many books by Fetullah Gulen.

Additionally, six FETO suspects were arrested in central Kayseri province. The wanted suspects were said to be hiding in safehouses.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization 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.