FETÖ fugitive held entering Türkiye under new identity

ANKARA

A man who attempted to deceive authorities by assuming an U.S. identity during passport procedures at Istanbul Airport has been revealed to be a Turkish national named Abdullah Uzundere, wanted for his alleged involvement with FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 coup attempt.

Uzundere was apprehended by law enforcement officials on June 23 and subsequently appeared before a court where he was arrested. Investigations have since unveiled that Uzundere had obtained U.S. citizenship and returned to Türkiye by assuming a new name, Allen Brooks, and passport.

Authorities are now conducting further inquiries to determine the specific activities Uzundere was tasked upon his return to Türkiye. Additionally, efforts intensified to uncover any past undertakings while he was residing in the country.

Born in the province of Konya, Uzundere became associated with FETÖ in the 1990s and eventually rose to become one of its clandestine members. He worked as a mathematics teacher in the educational institutions in Trabzon, Manisa and Konya, which were shut down due to their affiliation with FETÖ. It has also been established that Uzundere actively utilized ByLock, an encrypted messaging app favored by the organization.

In June 2014, Uzundere traveled to Pennsylvania, armed with a greencard. The details surrounding his activities during his time in the U.S. remain under investigation.