Turkey puts key FETO member in jail

By Sertac Bulur

ANKARA (AA) - A key member of Fetullah Terrorist Organization, the group behind 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, was jailed after being arrested in a joint operation by the Turkish police and intelligence organization.

According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency on Monday, the Security Directorate in the capital Ankara and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) had launched a probe into covert network of the group and found out that Resat Nazmi Oral performed key duties within the terror group.

Oral was arrested on July 29 in an operation in Batikent district of Ankara and he was referred to a court on Aug. 9. The court put him in jail.

Oral, codenamed Usame-Metin, joined the organization in 1983 and he has operated as so-called "education consultant, Southeast Anatolia Regional representative, imam for the second army, and imam for lawyer network."

His codename was directly given by FETO’s ringleader Fetullah Gulen, according to the obtained information.

It is also learnt that Oral said in his testimony that he performed duties in FETO’s covert services for 19 years and he also disclosed information about his relations with over 100 so-called organization managers and members.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.

* Writing by Sena Guler