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TURKEY-POLITICS-ARREST-COUP
Turkey detains nearly 200 over Gulen links
ANKARA, Dec 17, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Turkish police on Tuesday detained 181
people suspected of ties to a group blamed for a 2016 coup attempt, the
Ankara public prosecutor’s office said.
The detentions came after the capital’s public prosecutor issued arrest
warrants for 260 suspects accused of using the encrypted ByLock messaging
application which authorities believe was used to coordinate the coup bid.
Another 18 suspects, including 10 doctors, were sought in a second
probe.
Officers have so far detained 171 people in Ankara and another 10
suspects elsewhere, the office said without giving details.
Tens of thousands have been arrested over alleged ties to US-based
Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara says ordered the failed coup.
Gulen denies this.
Since the failed overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
authorities have also sacked or suspended over 140,000 public sector workers
over suspected links to Gulen.
BSS/AFP/RY/1402 hrs