Turkish courts convict 3 over FETO terrorist links

By Rauf Maltas and Ersoy Sevinc

SANLIURFA, Turkey

Three people were convicted and sentenced to jail across Turkey on Monday for being members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year’s defeated coup, according to a security source.

The 6th High Criminal Court in the southeastern Sanliurfa province sentenced two former teachers -- a couple -- to over six years each for being members of an armed terrorist group.

The couple was also charged with using ByLock, FETO’s encrypted smartphone messaging app, as well as actively transacting money in Bank Asya -- a lender affiliated with FETO which recently declared bankruptcy.

In the southern Kahramanmaras province, a former manager of a private tutoring center was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.

By Rauf Maltas and Ersoy Sevinc

SANLIURFA, Turkey

The 6th High Criminal Court in the southeastern Sanliurfa province sentenced two former teachers -- a couple -- to over six years each for being members of an armed terrorist group.

In the southern Kahramanmaras province, a former manager of a private tutoring center was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.