Turkish court issues detention warrants for 189 FETÖ suspects

İZMİR

Detention warrants were issued on May 10 for nearly 190 people over suspected links to the network of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, referred to by the authorities as the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), state-run Anadolu Agency has reported, citing a judicial source.

The chief public prosecutors’ office in the western province of İzmir issued arrest warrants for 96 people including 91 suspended soldiers with the Turkish Air Forces Command, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to media.

Police have so far arrested 65 suspects during simultaneous raids conducted across 15 provinces, the source said, adding that operations are continuing to detain the remaining suspects.

More arrest warrants were issued in the capital Ankara for 93 former employees of a Gülen-linked school that was shut down after the July 2016 coup attempt.

A police operation is underway to apprehend the suspects, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Since the coup attempt Ankara has launched a sweeping crackdown in the judiciary and other state institutions.