166 detention orders issued for security personnel over coup probe

ISTANBUL

More than 160 detention orders were issued on Oct. 7 for security personnel at the Istanbul police headquarters over their alleged links to U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, believed to have masterminded the July 15 coup attempt.

Anti-smuggling police conducted simultaneous operations in 35 provinces across the country and 26 districts of Istanbul early on Oct. 7 to apprehend security personnel, including police chiefs and chief officers, who allegedly used the ByLock app, an encrypted messaging service that was allegedly developed by Gülenists at the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued the 166 detention orders for the suspects as part of the ongoing investigation into the attempted takeover.

Those who were subjected to the order included 13 police chiefs, 114 high-ranking officers and 39 police officers.

One suspect identified as B.İ. was detained in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri while two dismissed police officers were not found at their addresses.