Turkish courts convict 63 suspects over FETO links

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA (AA) - At least 63 people, including 61 ex-police officers were convicted Wednesday over links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup attempt.

The suspects were accused of being members of an armed terrorist organization and using ByLock, an encrypted smart phone messaging app used by FETO members before and during last year's coup attempt.

The 22nd High Criminal Court in Istanbul gave prison sentences to the former police officers ranging from one year and six months to 10 years and six months, said a judicial source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions over talking to the media.

In another hearing in the northeastern province of Bayburt, the High Criminal Court sentenced one other FETO suspect to seven years and one month in prison for membership of an armed terrorist group while a former judge was given seven years and six months in prison by the 3rd High Criminal Court in the northern province of Samsun for the same charge.

Orchestrated by FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen, the defeated coup left 250 people martyred and some 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.