Turkey arrests 3 suspects for FETO terror links

ADANA, Turkey

Turkish forces arrested three more people for suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, security sources said on Wednesday.

The suspects were found to be in touch with their terror affiliates via fixed-line and pay phones, said the sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

A total of 26 suspects – including 12 active duty military personnel and a teacher – were detained on Aug. 5 in operations by anti-smuggling and organized crime police in 14 provinces of Turkey.

On Wednesday, 17 of the suspects were presented in court, where 14 were released on bail and three were arrested.

The remaining nine suspects had been presented in court earlier, with two being arrested and the rest released on bail.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 15, 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, in which 251 people were 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.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev