Turkey issues arrest warrants for 26 FETO suspects

By Serdar Acil

ANKARA

Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 26 personnel of the Turkish Land Forces over their alleged links to Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind July 2016 defeated coup, according to judicial sources.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara issued arrest warrants for the suspects -- all on-duty soldiers -- who allegedly communicated with the terror group’s so-called “imam” via pay phones.

Turkish police conducted anti-terror operations in the country’s 14 provinces, including the capital Ankara, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

So far, 20 suspects were arrested in the simultaneous counter-terror operations across Turkey. Police continue operations to nab the other suspects.

According to the Turkish government, the FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 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.