Nephew of FETO leader remanded in custody

By Emre Ayvaz, Ibrahim Yozoglu

SAKARYA, Turkey (AA) - A nephew of Fetullah Gulen, leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), was remanded in custody in the northwestern Turkish province of Sakarya for his alleged links to the group, a security official said on Thursday.

As part of a probe conducted by Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Tavus Bin Keysan Gulen was remanded in custody on charges of “establishing and managing an armed terrorist organization,” the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Gulen was arrested by police at his house in Umraniye district of Istanbul on Oct. 6.

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