The Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices in Ankara and Istanbul issued on Monday 102 arrest warrants for former or acting members of the country's armed forces on suspicion of being linked to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Turkey, local media reported.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) The Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices in Ankara and Istanbul issued on Monday 102 arrest warrants for former or acting members of the country's armed forces on suspicion of being linked to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Turkey, local media reported.
According to the Anadolu news agency, 89 arrest warrants were issued in Istanbul, have 56 suspects have already been arrested. The Chief Public Prosecutor's office in Ankara issued arrest warrants for 13 colonels, three of which are in active service.
On July 15, 2016, a military coup attempt, aimed at overthrowing the country's government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took place in Turkey. It was promptly suppressed by government forces, but still left over 2,000 people injured and over 250 killed. Ankara has accused Gulen and his followers of playing a key role in the military takeover attempt, which the cleric, who has been residing in the United States since 1999, has refuted.
Since the incident, scores of military personnel, teachers, reporters and activists have been arrested over their suspected links to FETO.
