Detention warrants out for 151 FETÖ suspects

ANKARA

Detention warrants were issued on June 26 for 151 people suspected of being members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), a judicial source told state-run Anadolu Agency.

The group, an ally-turned-nemesis of the government led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, is widely believed to have been behind the July 2016 coup attempt.

Prosecutors in the capital Ankara issued the warrants for 43 suspects, including 30 dismissed and active soldiers and 13 alleged “covert imams” of the group at the Turkish Naval Forces Command, according to a judicial source.

Separately, Ankara prosecutors also issued detention warrants for six active-duty soldiers at the Gendarmerie General Command Forces, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

More warrants were also issued in the northwestern province of Bursa for 102 suspects, including active-duty soldiers, dismissed military school students and former police officers.

Following the warrants, police launched simultaneous operations across Turkey to detain the suspects.