Former Turkish Central Bank staff held on FETO charges

By Orhan Onur Gemici and Sertac Bulur

ANKARA

Turkish police arrested 27 former Central Bank staff in Ankara on Friday as part of an operation against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), a security source told Anadolu Agency.

Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board detained a number of suspects previously suspended or dismissed from the bank, based on a statutory decree.

Twenty-seven out of 36 suspects for whom arrest warrants had been issued were held.

FETO is said to have orchestrated last July’s attempted coup in Turkey that left 248 people martyred. Following the coup bid, Turkey introduced a state of emergency that has seen tens of thousands of public servants dismissed or suspended from their jobs over suspected ties to the terror network.

The Turkish Central Bank later issued a statement, saying the probe was not related to active staff but former employees.