Turkey: Prosecutor files charges against Gulen accused

ISTANBUL

Istanbul prosecutors have brought formal charges against 19 former police officers accused of illegal wiretapping.

Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor's office on Wednesday presented papers against the group, accused of being linked to what the Turkish government describes as the “Gulenist terror group”.

Organized crime police had raided number of properties across 15 Turkish provinces, including Istanbul, on Saturday, detaining 21 people, 19 of whom were charged today.

The operations are part of an investigation into unlawful wiretapping by the ‘parallel state’ organization, known by the Turkish initial FETO/PDY, which is ruled by Fetullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher in exile in the United States.

The Turkish government says that Gulen is involved in plotting to overthrow the state.

According to prosecutors, the 19 suspects monitored more than 50 businessmen and journalists for five years.

The prosecution indictment stated that former police planned the wiretappings in 2013 as part of the Gulen movement’s “attempts to dissolve the Turkish parliament”.

On Monday, 56 suspects were arrested in Isparta, southwestern Turkey, including the former rector of one of the country’s largest universities.

In Elazig, eastern Turkey, 11 people arrested last week for allegedly being part of FETO were due to appear in court today.

Turkey has been targeting followers of Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania, U.S., since early 2014.

The movement, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, runs a network of schools and businesses and the government says this has allowed Gulen supporters to infiltrate state organs such as the judiciary and police.

Investigations into the parallel state have seen hundreds of civil servants, including police and public prosecutors, arrested or reassigned.