Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu
Turkey has sent dozens of countries extradition files on over 450 suspected members of the terrorist group behind the 2016 defeated coup, said Turkey’s foreign minister on Wednesday.
"We continue to pursue a resolute fight with FETÖ both at home and abroad,” Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, referring to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization or FETÖ.
“We are pursuing FETÖ terrorists wherever they are in the world. We will bring the FETÖ members to Turkish justice to hold them accountable."
He added: "We prepared files on 452 FETÖ-linked figures as part of investigations of senior members of the terror group's overseas presence. We sent files to 83 countries where these figures are living."
At least 74 suspects on Tuesday were arrested across Turkey by security forces for their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, according to security sources.Security forces rounded up 28 suspects in an Adana-based operation carried out across four provinces, said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.The suspects are accused of communicating with "covert imams" of the terror group.Two other FETÖ suspects were arrested by police in an operation launched in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, another source said.Turkey issues arrest warrants for 22 FETÖ-linked soldiersMeanwhile, a total of 12 suspects, including soldiers on active duty have been arrested in an operation into FETÖ in the Aegean province of Izmir.Additionally, three suspects were arrested in an operation in central Eskisehir province on terror charges. In the central province of Konya, 12 suspects were arrested for using ByLock, an encrypted smartphone messaging app used by FETÖ members in an operation carried out by anti-terror police teams.Separately, seven suspects were held in a Samsun-based simultaneous operation carried out across three provinces for allegedly using ByLock.Turkey running ex-FETÖ-linked schools in AfghanistanAnother seven people were arrested in the eastern Adiyaman province. They were accused of using FETÖ’s encrypted smartphone messaging app ByLock.In an eastern Malatya-based operation carried out in three provinces, five suspects, including an attorney were arrested for using ByLock.FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
74 FETÖ-linked suspects arrested across Turkey
Çavuşoğlu said that with the cooperation of 21 countries, a total of 104 FETÖ members have been extradited to Turkey to date.
On Turkey's successful cross-border counter-terrorism operations, Çavuşoğlu said that over 260,000 refugees had returned to areas of Syria cleared of terrorists during Turkey’s operations.
Turkish troops -- backed by the FSA -- liberated large swathes of northwestern Syria from terrorist groups during Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017, while Operation Olive Branch liberated Afrin, Syria from YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists in early 2018.
Turkey has also succeeded in closing FETÖ-linked schools abroad, he said.
At least 10 schools in Afghanistan linked to FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, came under Turkish administration earlier this year, Turkish officials announced today.Under a pact between Turkey and Afghanistan signed this February and approved in April, 12 schools linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) are now managed by the Turkey’s Maarif Foundation (TMF), a group founded by the Turkish government to guide former FETÖ-linked schools, said a Maarif statement.Under the pact, 70 teachers came from Turkey to Afghanistan, and the group said that it started education and training in two schools in the northern Jowzjan province this August.Also, on Nov. 12, some FETÖ operatives disguised as students were removed from two high schools and dormitories set to go under Maarif administration in Herat, western Afghanistan.Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016 to take over the administration of overseas schools linked to FETÖ. The foundation also establishes schools and education centers abroad.FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, including security forces, the judiciary, and education.FETÖ also has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private educational institutions that serve as a revenue stream for the terrorist group.
Turkey running ex-FETÖ-linked schools in Afghanistan
"FETÖ schools and language schools have been closed in 21 countries," said Çavuşoğlu, adding that Turkey's Maarif Foundation has assumed administration of the schools in 16 countries.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the security forces, judiciary, and schools.
FETÖ also has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private educational institutions that serve as a revenue stream for the terrorist group.
Turkey's parliament speaker said on Monday that Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) poses a potential danger to Pakistan and other countries.Binali Yıldırım received Pakistani lawmakers and media representatives in capital Ankara."FETÖ, which is active as a terrorist and criminal organization in more than 160 countries, clearly serves a global agenda," said Yıldırım.He added: "For this reason, FETÖ is a potential danger for Pakistan as well as the countries where it exists."Afghan security forces take control of ‘FETÖ’ schoolYıldırım called on Pakistani authorities to cooperate against FETÖ.FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.Pakistani delegation hails ‘excellent’ ties with TurkeyYıldırım recalled that Pakistan has backed Turkey against all U.S. impositions."Against all decisions [on Turkey] taken by the U.S. administration, brother Pakistan was the country which supported us," he said.Yıldırım added that brotherhood between the two countries has continued since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947.Albayrak Group ‘pleased to serve people of Pakistan’
FETÖ poses risk to Pakistan: Turkish parliament speaker
Çavuşoğlu said Turkey is trying to minimize the effect of sanctions imposed on Iran.
"[For this] We are in close coordination notably with both the U.S. and EU, and even with Asian countries," he said.
The U.S. administration announced Friday, Nov. 2 that it would temporarily allow eight importers to continue trading oil with Iran.
Çavuşoğlu also hailed Turkey-Russia relations, saying: "There is a strong will and a close dialogue between our leaders. We can find a way out even in hard times."
He also spoke about Turkey’s cooperation with the Central Asian countries. "Our relations with Uzbekistan has revived with the new administration [in the country]. Our relations with Turkmenistan have also strengthened," he added.
Turkey making efforts to get U.S. Congress to remove bills against Ankara
Turkey is making efforts to get the U.S. Congress to drop bills targeting Ankara, according to the text of Çavuşoğlu on Wednesday.
The U.S. Senate has demanded a block on sales of F-35 jets to Turkey unless U.S. President Donald Trump certifies that Turkey is not threatening NATO, purchasing defence equipment from Russia or detaining U.S. citizens.
Çavuşoğlu also said in the text of his speech, which he is delivering to a parliamentary commission on Wednesday, that Turkey is working to keep economic ties with the United States from being impacted by political issues.