Turkey arrests 17 ex-ministry staff over FETO links

ANKARA

A total of 17 former staff of Finance Ministry were detained in early morning raids in Turkey’s capital Ankara, for their alleged links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), an official said.

Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for 82 former employees, who were dismissed before. At least 17 of them were arrested during police raids in the capital Ankara, said the official, who asked not to be named due to restriction on speaking to the media.

Suspects are accused of using encrypted ByLock smartphone messaging application linked to FETO.

According to Turkish authorities, ByLock was a suspected means of communication among members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 that left 250 people martyred and some 2,200 others injured.

Turkey accuses FETO of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Separately, Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in central Konya province issued arrest warrants for 134 FETO-linked suspects, another official said.

The suspects are accused of getting FETO members employed in Turkish Armed Forces as “general director, manager, deputy manager, teacher and doctor.”

Reporting by Sertac Bulur:Writing by Ahmet Sait Akcay