Nearly 550 FETÖ suspects detained across country: Minister

ANKARA

A total of 543 people with ties to FETÖ have been detained in operations in 59 provinces across the country, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has announced.

In the investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects were found to be providing financial assistance to FETÖ/PDY members and their families.

The local police department’s anti-smuggling unit launched an operation to catch the suspects.

Providing information about the operations, Soylu said the suspects have been systematically transferring money. “The money transfer carried out through people who don’t know each other was entirely foreign-sourced.”

A money transfer between 3,000-6,000 Turkish Liras was made without a card, in a cargo and by physical contact, the minister explained, adding that of the 704 detention orders received, 543 were successfully executed.

“It is important to decipher the transfer process, its structure and financial resources rather than the amount of money,” Soylu said.

The FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader, Fetullah Gülen, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded.

Some 332,000 people linked with FETÖ have been detained and some 19,000 are serving prison terms, Soylu said in July.