January 10, 2018•Update: January 10, 2018
By Gulsem Adam and Suleyman Elcin
ANTALYA, Turkey
Police arrested 29 people across Turkey on Wednesday for suspected links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, according to a security official.
Nine suspects were arrested in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, an official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.
Among the suspects were former police commissioner and an ex-teacher, the source added.
In another operation in central Kirsehir province, three suspects, including former directors of public institutions, were arrested in simultaneous raids across the province for alleged FETO links.
Separately, eight other suspects, including a former teacher, were caught in northern Bartin province as part of a probe into the terrorist organization.
In northwestern Tekirdag province, three suspects, known by the initials -- S.B., O.H.Y., and D.E. -- were arrested in a police raid at separate addresses in the province.
Two others were also arrested in northwestern Balikesir and Kirklareli provinces.
Separately, police arrested a couple in central Eskisehir province and two others in western Mugla province for using ByLock -- an encrypted mobile phone application used by FETO members to communicate during and after the defeated July 15, 2016, coup.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara 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, as well as having a large network of influence and intimidation abroad.
*Abdullah Yildiz from Kirsehir, Yalcin Celen from Bartin, Mesut Karaduman from Tekirdag, Deniz Acik from Eskisehir, Durmus Genc from Mugla, Seyhan Kirici from Balikesir, and Ozgun Tiran from Kirklareli contributed to the story.
