Two more routes used by FETÖ suspects to flee abroad to escape Turkish justice have been eliminated. Three Bulgarians face charges of aiding terrorist group and human trafficking
Efforts to shut down escape routes used by fugitive Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) members continue, with suspects arrested in Muğla while a court in Edirne began the trial of three Bulgarian nationals. FETÖ, a criminal enterprise founded by the fugitive Fetullah Gülen, is directly implicated in the December 2013 judicial coup and the July 15, 2016 military coup attempt against the democratically elected government of Turkey. With its media and business arms, the terrorist group created significant public clout, which was augmented by the infiltration of state institutions, principally the judiciary, police and military.
Many of its most senior members fled abroad on the eve or soon after the coup attempt in July 2016.
A court in the Aegean coastal city of Muğla yesterday ordered the arrest of two suspects over involvement in the escape of FETÖ members abroad, releasing another four suspects pending their trial. According to information compiled by Anadolu news agency, the suspects include a ship captain and employees of the Dalaman Municipality. They are accused of maintaining a marine escape route for FETÖ members to Greece and Italy.
Meanwhile, in Edirne, a court began the trial of three Bulgarian nationals caught red-handed trying to aid the escape of three couples charged with ties to FETÖ and fleeing the country with their children.
In the indictment, the three suspects are charged with both aiding and abetting a terrorist group and human trafficking. Gyursel Yuzeir Mustafa, 50, Nikolay Milenov Kasabov, 50, and Shaban Hasan Murad, 43, were caught at customs last November trying to pass through to Greece in two cars carrying Bulgarian license plates.
All three suspects have been in jail since and face charges that carry a prison sentence of up to 18 years. Of the suspects, Murad blamed Mustafa for the whole matter, claiming he had no idea what was happening. The suspects were carrying 9,300 euros and authorities found another 600 euros in one of the cars, which was taken from the FETÖ suspects as a fee for aiding their escape.