Turkey issues arrest warrants for 51 FETO suspects

ANKARA/ EDIRNE, Turkey

Arrest warrants were issued for 51 Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) suspects across Turkey, prosecutors said Wednesday.

According to a statement from Ankara's Prosecutors Office, the suspects, most of whom are former bureaucrats, made contacts over landlines with imams of the terror group which orchestrated the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

Efforts to nab the suspects are underway.

In a separate operation, 18 people were arrested over suspected links to FETO, according to security sources.

The arrests were made in raids across Istanbul, Ankara, Balikesir, Eskisehir and Antalya.

The suspects were brought to Edirne, northwestern Turkey, where the investigation was centered.

Among the suspects were academics, doctors, military personnel and lawyers, as well as a non-commissioned officer who was on duty.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people 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 Merve Berker