More than 40 FETO suspects arrested across Turkey

By Sahin Oktay and Suleyman Elcin

ANKARA (AA) - At least 44 suspects have been arrested across Turkey for their alleged links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, security sources said Wednesday.

In western Manisa province, the arrests came after the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued warrants for eight suspects, the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

They were accused of being FETO members and using FETO's encyrpted smart phone messaging app, ByLock.

Fourteen suspects were also arrested in Bolu, Istanbul, Ankara and Eskisehir.

In southern Antalya province, 22 suspects were arrested on the charge of using ByLock.

The suspects were held during simultaneous operations in Ankara, Izmir and Hatay.

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 Turkish state through the infiltration of Institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.