Top FETÖ figure remanded to custody in Turkey's Ankara


Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) linked fugitive suspect Birol Kurubaş, who was one one of the highest-level contracted officers of the terror group, was remanded to custody in capital Ankara on late Friday.

After the FETÖ-orchestrated July 15 coup attempt, Birol Kurubaş' fingerprints were found during a police search of a villa, which was considered a meeting point of the terror group.

Adil Öksuz, a chief suspect in the coup, was also present at the villa during the meeting.

Öksuz, a fugitive FETÖ member, is believed the top second civilian of the coup attempt who was the Ieader of the FETÖ network inside the Turkish air forces.

Birol Kurubaş was detained in Istanbul and later brought to Ankara.

In his defense, during the trial in 5th Peace Court of Criminal Justice in Ankara, Kurubaş said that he was involved in FETÖ, but he did not want to say anything else.

The suspect was sent behind the bars by court decision.

Kurubaş was among the suspects of the so-called "Peace at Home Council" established by the coup-plotters to replace the Turkish government.

He was accused of "attempting to abolish the constitutional order", "being a member of an armed terrorist organization", "attempting to overthrow the Turkish Grand National Assembly" and "attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey".

Other names attended the meeting in the villa were Bilal Akyüz, Mustafa Barış Avıalan, Sinan Sürer, Gökhan Şahin Sönmezateş, Ömer Faruk Harmancık, Turgay Sökmen, Fırat Alakuş, Ali Osman Gürrcan and Murat Koçyiğit.

FETÖ, led by the U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, is considered the mastermind of the July 15 foiled coup attempt, which killed 250 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.