Turkey: FETO suspect trying to flee to Greece held

EDIRNE / ESKISEHIR Turkey

Turkish security forces on Thursday nabbed a suspect in northwestern Edirne province over alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup.

A suspect, identified by the initials H.Z., was held in a prohibited military zone while trying to illegally flee to Greece, said a source on the condition of anonymity.

The suspect, who showed a fake identity card to security forces, was subsequently taken into custody.

Meanwhile, security forces also rounded up at least seven suspects in Turkey's central province of Eskisehir over their alleged links to FETO.

As part of the investigation initiated by the prosecutors in the capital Ankara, metropolis Istanbul and eastern Van province, the suspects were held in a raid at an address by the provincial anti-terror police teams.

Following procedures at a police station, three of the suspects were referred to Ankara, where their investigation continues.

The other three were referred to a court and released on bail, while one was arrested.

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 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.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev in Ankara