Turkey arrests 14 ex-ministry staff over FETO links

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz, Aylin Sirikli

ANKARA

At least 14 people including former Prime Ministry’s employees have been arrested in the capital Ankara for their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup.

The arrests came after warrants have been issued for 20 FETO-linked suspects, including three justice ministry’s employees, according to a statement issued by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The other 17 suspects are former Prime Ministry employees, the statement said.

Separately, dozens of suspects have been arrested across Turkey after Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 56 suspects, who are accused of using the ByLock mobile app.

Police teams have conducted simultaneous operations in 19 provinces including Izmir, Kayseri and Adiyaman provinces, a police official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, said on Friday.

Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also issued arrest warrants for 32 on-duty soldiers including commissioned officers and specialized sergeants, as part of a probe into FETO’s structure in Turkish Armed Forces.

Police have launched raids to arrest the suspects.

Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also 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.

* Halil Demir in Istanbul and Sezgin Pancar in Mersin contributed to this story.