Court arrests 20 Gülenist ‘sisters’

UŞAK – Doğan News Agency

A total of 20 women accused of being part of the hierarchy in the outlawed Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) as “sisters” have been arrested by a local court in the Aegean province of Uşak. 

Turkish police launched simultaneous operations on 20 addresses across eight provinces on Aug. 3, detaining 22 suspects while seven others were determined to have fled the country.

The suspects were accused of serving FETÖ as “sisters” tasked with “raising a golden generation” and whose duties included fundraising and the recruitment of supporters to the followers of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen.

According to research conducted by the Uşak Public Prosecutor’s Office, the women organized subscriptions to newspapers and magazines which not only propagandized the group’s ideology but were also suspected of disseminating confidential orders from higher ranking Gülen followers. 

The women were also accused of providing financial assistance to a leading Islamic lender which was believed to have ties with Gülen. 

Reports claimed that “sisters” also recruited people to contribute to FETÖ’s “most important aim,” namely to raise a “golden generation.”

A total of 20 of the 22 women, including the wife of former Uşak Organized Industrial Zone head Ali Yıldırım, were arrested by a local court early on Aug. 11. 

Gülen, who has been living in Pennsylvania in self-imposed exile since 1999, has been accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt on July 15.