Over 25 university staff in Istanbul held for FETO links
- World
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 | 17 November 2017
- Modified Date: 05:16 | 17 November 2017
At least 29 former and current employees of Marmara University were arrested in Istanbul on Friday for suspected links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind last year's defeated coup, according to a security source.
The arrests came after the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Istanbul issued arrest warrants for 42 former and current employees of Marmara University, including professors.
The suspects were accused of using FETO's encrypted smart phone messaging application ByLock.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also 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.