Turkey detains 2 FETO suspects trying to escape abroad

AYDIN, Turkey

Two suspected members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) were detained in western Turkey as they attempted to escape abroad, a security source said on Saturday.

Acting on a tip, police in the Kusadasi district of Aegean Aydin province launched an operation to an address to nab the suspects.

F.A. and Y.G. were caught with a large sum of cash at the address, said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

It was later determined that F.A. was sought for "membership in an armed terrorist organization" and previously sentenced to six years and three months in prison, while Y.G. was charged with "membership in an armed terrorist organization."

Meanwhile, in an operation at an industrial site in the district, police arrested M.T. and O.V., who allegedly smuggled two FETO suspects abroad.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were martyred and 2,734 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.