Turkey probes 4,167 FETÖ suspects living in 110 countries

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

A total of 4,167 people accused of having links to the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) in 110 countries are being investigated by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT), a public prosecutor’s office said on April 19.

The information was disclosed by the public prosecutor’s office in a letter to the court requesting that three suspects extradited on April 10 from Gabon by MİT be remanded in custody on charges of managing an armed terrorist organization and international espionage.

The letter noted that the Gülen network has presence in 110 countries.

“It has been confirmed that Fethullah Gülen and his group aim to build an elite in Turkey and other countries using its schools and social institutions,” the letter said.

Turkish authorities say there are around 135 charter schools, with 45,000 students in the United States, and 165 non-governmental organizations across the world run by the group.

Court arrests three senior FETÖ members

Meanwhile, an Istanbul court arrested three suspected senior members of the group early on April 20 who had been brought to Turkey as part of the intelligence agency’s operation in Gabon, Central Africa.

Osman Özpınar, İbrahim Akbaş and Adnan Demirönal are accused of “international espionage” as well as “managing an armed terror organization,” a judicial source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking with the media.

On April 10, Turkish intelligence officers brought the three suspected senior FETÖ members to Turkey following an operation against the group in Gabon.

The group was brought to Turkey from the capital Libreville on a private plane.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fethullah Gülen are widely believed to have orchestrated the July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, which left 250 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.