Detention warrants issued for 42 former Turkish interior ministry personnel

ANKARA

The Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants on June 13 for 42 Interior Ministry personnel, who were previously dismissed or suspended from their duties after being determined to have used ByLock, an encrypted smartphone messaging application used by members of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.    

Police raided several addresses as part of an Ankara-based operation. Some 12 suspects were detained by anti-smuggling police and taken to police stations for their testimonies.

Officials said all suspects detained were dismissed or suspended from their duties at the ministry with statutory decrees over their use of the Bylock application. FETÖ is widely accused of orchestrating the July 2016 failed coup attempt. 

An operation has been ongoing to capture the other 30 suspects.