6 ex-ministry staff arrested in Ankara over FETO links
- Türkiye
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 | 13 February 2018
- Modified Date: 12:07 | 13 February 2018
At least six former Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning employees were arrested in capital Ankara on Tuesday for their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, according to the Turkish government.
The arrests came after warrants had been issued for eight FETO-linked suspects, according to a statement issued by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
The FETO-suspects were accused of using ByLock, an encrypted mobile phone messaging application used by coup plotters.
Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.