19 naval officers detained for links to FETÖ

Nineteen officers of the Turkish Naval Forces were detained yesterday in nationwide operations against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).

Operations were also underway to capture 15 others linked to the group, blamed for the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Suspects included current military officers as well as those investigated earlier for links to the group. They are accused of working as the group's infiltrators in the military and were identified after an investigation into their contacts with non-military members of FETÖ.

FETÖ is accused of orchestrating the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that killed 250 people and injured more than 2,000. The terrorist group used its infiltrators in the army, from noncommissioned officers to generals, to topple the government, a bid that ultimately failed thanks to public resistance. Although thousands were detained, arrested or expelled from the army after the coup attempt for their links to the group, authorities believe there may be more yet to be detected due to FETÖ's high levels of secrecy. It had disguised itself as a charity with religious undertones for decades and is known for its widespread infiltration of the military, judiciary, law enforcement and bureaucracy. When the government moved to weed out what it called "a parallel state" of Gülenists from those institutions, the group moved to seize power.