Prosecutors in the capital Ankara, the southern province of Adana and the northwestern province Edirne issued arrest warrants for 101 suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) on Tuesday in separate investigations. Fifteen suspects were detained, while operations are underway to capture the others.
The suspects are wanted in three separate investigations. In one investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office, 21 suspects are sought by authorities for their ties to senior figures within the terrorist group. The suspects were mostly lawyers, academics and security guards. They were identified as members of the group since they stayed in "study houses" exclusive for would-be judges and prosecutors in the past. "Study houses" refer to the informal dormitories run by FETÖ, which is known for recruiting members at a young age and guiding them over the course of their education. The terrorist group is also known to have aided its members in infiltrating public institutions such as judiciary offices. Sixteen of the suspects have been apprehended so far.
In another investigation based in Ankara, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 49 suspects who stayed at another network of "study houses" between 2014 and 2016 in the capital. The suspects included serving civil servants and former public sector employees. Some are accused of acquiring the questions and answers to the Capital Markets Board (SPK) employment exam from fellow FETÖ members before taking the test. The terrorist group was already indicted in a string of cases involving exam fraud, a tool used in its widespread infiltration of law enforcement, the judiciary, army and bureaucracy. The suspects were also users of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app developed and exclusively used by FETÖ members.
Security forces also arrested 15 suspects in Adana, including police officers and teachers who were earlier dismissed from their jobs on suspicion of links to the terrorist group. The suspects included individuals who served as handlers for FETÖ infiltrators and others who were tried and convicted in absentia.
In Edirne, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 16 suspects in an investigation into a secret FETÖ members network. The suspects included engineers, military officers and academics.