Turkey seeks 37 with warrants for suspected FETO ties

AKSARAY/BALIKESIR/KONYA/ADANA, Turkey

Turkish prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 37 suspects nationwide over their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup attempt, judicial sources said on Monday.

Prosecutors in central Aksaray and southern Adana provinces issued warrants for 37 suspects, including active-duty soldiers, said a source anonymously due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Another eight suspects were detained on charges of using terror group’s encrypted smartphone messaging app ByLock in northwestern Balikesir province, said the source.

In simultaneous operations in 12 cities, centered-in Konya province, Turkish police also arrested three suspects who were accused of being "covert imams" -- senior FETO members -- leading terror group members who infiltrated into the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which left 251 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.

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur