FETO terror member to serve over 8 years in jail

ISTANBUL

A Turkish court Thursday ruled jail term for a Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) member who had been arrested in Kosovo last year in an intelligence operation, according to a judiciary source.

Heavy Penal Court No. 36 in Istanbul sentenced Kahraman Demiroz to eight years and nine months in prison over the charge of being a member of an armed terror group although the defendant denied all terrorism-related charges.

Demirez was among six people brought back to Turkey on March 29, 2018 after they were arrested in Kosovo by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT), cooperating Kosovar intelligence.

The operation was carried out against the terror group’s branch in the Balkans.

Earlier, an indictment by Istanbul prosecutors sought jail terms for Demiroz over the charges of managing a terrorist organization and international espionage.

Thursday’s hearing acquitted Demiroz of the charge of international espionage.

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 Gozde Bayar