Turkish forces arrest nearly 50 FETO suspects

By Burak Akay

CANAKKALE, Turkey (AA) - Police on Thursday arrested 49 suspects over links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, in nationwide operations.

In northwestern Canakkale province, 18 military personnel, including 17 on-duty soldiers, were arrested, said an official on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The arrests came during simultaneous operations which were carried out as part of investigations by the provincial chief public prosecutor into a Naval Forces Command network.

In an operation based in Bursa province, 11 suspects were arrested over links to FETO during simultaneous raids in Istanbul, Balikesir, Gaziantep, Zonguldak, Van and Kutahya.

An operation into the women network of the terrorist group was launched after arrest warrants were issued for 15 suspects by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

In a separate operation in the province, police arrested eight others, including a teacher and an employee of a Mufti’s office.

Some suspects were allegedly using ByLock, an encrypted mobile phone application used by FETO members to communicate during and after the defeated coup attempt. Others had invested money in Bank Asya -- a lender affiliated with FETO which declared bankruptcy in 2017.

Separately, five suspects, including former police officials, were arrested in the Mediterranean Antalya province.

In southwestern Denizli province, seven suspects were arrested in various police raids in the province for using ByLock.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara 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, as well as having a large network of influence and intimidation abroad.