Turkey: Arrest warrants issued for 73 army pilots

By Metin Bolat

KONYA, Turkey (AA) - Warrants have been issued early Thursday for 73 Turkish army pilots in an anti-terror investigation, security sources said.

According to a provincial security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media, they are located in 17 provinces across the country.

The suspects, 71 of whom are lieutenants, are allegedly linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in an investigation launched by the Konya chief public prosecutor regarding financing of the illegal network.

The operation to arrest the suspects is underway, the sources added.

Meanwhile, 26 police officers were referred to the court in Bursa province Thursday for using a smartphone messaging app, ByLock, linked to the deadly July 15 coup attempt.

ByLock was allegedly used by members of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which the government blames for being behind the coup attempt.

The app is believed to have been cracked by Turkish security agencies before the coup, prompting the plotters to switch to the WhatsApp messaging service but not before tens of thousands of FETO suspects had been identified.

In addition, four police chiefs were arrested in Istanbul early Tuesday for alleged links to FETO.

Led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, FETO is accused of orchestrating Turkey’s July 15 coup plot as well as being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

The July 15 defeated coup left 241 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.