63 former police officers arrested over FETO links

ANKARA 

Turkish security forces detained 63 former police officers linked to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in nationwide counter-terror operations, a security official said Saturday.

The former police officers were among 100 suspects held during simultaneous operations across 19 provinces, said the official, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

The suspects -- including former police chiefs -- were allegedly using the ByLock mobile phone messaging app which FETO members used to communicate with each other during last July’s defeated coup.

The app is believed to have been cracked by Turkish security agencies, allowing them to identify tens of thousands of FETO supporters.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.

Reporting by Sertac Bulur:Writing by Sibel Ugurlu