Prosecutors seek arrest of 243 military personnel over links to coup attempt

ISTANBUL

AFP photo

Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 243 members of the military in 54 provinces across the country, in an investigation related to the July 15 coup attempt, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Jan. 18. 

Suspects were being sought on suspicion of using Bylock, an encrypted smartphone messaging app that the government says was used by the network of Fethullah Gülen, the U.S.-based preacher accused of orchestrating the attempted coup.

Following the decision, Istanbul Police Department’s Counter Terrorism units launched operations across 54 provinces and detained some of the suspects, said the sources.        
         
In an earlier decision, the public prosecutor’s office also issued arrest warrants for 575 military personnel on the same allegations. Just over 350 of these suspects were detained by police.