Over 70 FETÖ suspects nabbed in nationwide crackdown

ANKARA

The security forces have apprehended 74 individuals over allegedly having ties with the FETÖ terrorist organization in a major operation conducted across 27 out of the country's 81 provinces, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

The sweeping crackdown on July 15 coincided with the eighth anniversary of a failed coup attempt orchestrated by the FETÖ terrorist organization, resulting in the loss of 251 lives and injuring around 2,200 people.

Yerlikaya noted the police found that the suspects were attempting to establish pseudo-structures in key state institutions and were using a crypto-encrypted messaging app.

Some of the nabbed suspects have prison sentences and arrest warrants as part of several investigations targeting the terrorist group, Yerlikaya said.

The raids on their residences also resulted in the seizure of substantial amounts of cash and a large number of digital materials.

Yerlikaya conveyed in his message that operations against FETÖ members and their collaborators will continue with unwavering determination.

In his message commemorating the coup attempt, Yerlikaya reaffirmed that the nation had penned a "great epic" through unity and solidarity in 2016.

Speaking to the local media about the fight against FETÖ ahead of the July 15 anniversary, Yerlikaya disclosed that as a result of investigations carried out within his ministry, over 44,000 individuals were expelled from their duties in various units.

He stated that in approximately one year, 9,738 individuals were detained in 6,025 operations targeting FETÖ members.

Following the successful operations against FETÖ, a significant portion of the organization's activities was relocated abroad, he said.

Yerlikaya noted that after the July 15 coup attempt, the organization attempted to finance its domestic activities with revenues acquired abroad and to preserve its structure within Türkiye — an attempt that was thwarted by a large number of operations.

"Approximately 16 percent of the fugitive organization members are in the United States and about 23 percent are in Germany," Yerlikaya remarked.