Turkey: 47 Zaman daily ex-employees ordered detained

By Muhammed Enes Can, Murat Kaya Istanbul and Yunus Ege 

ISTANBUL

Thirteen former employees of Zaman, a newspaper which until recently was run by the U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen’s network, were detained Wednesday, according to a police source. 

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization has been accused of being behind the recent July 15 deadly coup attempt in Turkey. 

Earlier in the day, Istanbul prosecutors had ordered the detention of 47 former employees of Zaman daily, 13 of whom were now in custody. 

The ex-employees are suspected of having links to the FETO/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY), the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Police officers from the anti-terrorism unit in Istanbul have also started searching the houses of the former employees.

The suspects include former executives of the newspaper as well as columnists, police said. 

The paper's management was taken over by government this March when an Istanbul court decided to appoint trustees for the Feza Gazetecilik Media Group, which includes Zaman. 

The company was accused of supporting FETO, headed by Gulen, which has allegedly infiltrated Turkey’s state apparatus with thousands of followers in an effort to overthrow the government. 

Following the failed coup on July 15, which martyred at least 246 people and left thousands of others wounded, Turkey sent the U.S. an official request for Gulen’s extradition.