UPDATE - Turkey: New arrest warrants for FETO suspects

UPDATES WITH MORE ARRESTS

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - Police launched raids across nine provinces on Friday to arrest dozens of soldiers and teachers suspected of links to the group behind last year’s coup attempt.

The Ankara Public Prosecutor issued arrest warrants for 12 active duty army officers, four ex-soldiers and 44 teachers, a security official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

They are accused of links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) that orchestrated the July 15 coup attempt.

The official said 15 current and former soldiers and 28 former teachers had been arrested.

The ex-teachers previously worked in schools closed due to ties to FETO, the official added.

Three of the former military officers are retired while the fourth was suspended in the waves of dismissals and suspensions in the military, police and public sector since the failed coup, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Meanwhile, in another operation that was launched by the Ankara Public Prosecutor, 23 alleged FETO members were issued with arrest warrants for collecting money for the terrorist organization.

A security official, without giving a name, told Anadolu Agency 16 people among 23 sought had been arrested.

In another operation, two more fugitives were caught for allegedly using the ByLock app that FETO members use to communicate with each other without getting tracked.

Ankara has accused FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.