Turkey: 39 held for terror propaganda on social media

By Aykut Karadag

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish security forces held at least 39 suspects for allegedly propagating various terror groups on social media, sources said Monday.

The Interior Ministry said special police and gendarmerie teams worked have worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure the security of the internet and combat cyber-terrorism.

They are particularly focused on social media accounts and websites which propagate terror groups.

More than 1,200 social media accounts used by terror groups, including the PKK, FETO and Daesh/ISIS were scrutinized during the first week of February.

Of the more than 575 user accounts investigated, 39 were held.

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

Turkey also accuses FETO of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people including women, children and infants.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk in Ankara