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Three suspected members of the terrorist group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey -- out of 37 being sought by warrant -- have been arrested, a security source said Tuesday.
The arrests were carried out during simultaneous anti-terror raids in 22 provinces, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Among the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) suspects are 14 suspended officers with the Gendarmerie General Command -- including two lieutenant colonels -- and 23 civilians, the source added.
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.
Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader on Tuesday called on Germany to recognize what they call the "Gulen Movement" as a terrorist organization."As long as FETÖ [Fetullah Terrorist Organization] is called the Gulen Movement [in Germany], how could these traitors and assassins in Europe be fought against," said Devlet Bahçeli during his party's parliamentary group session.Bahçeli said Germany has been misjudging the defeated coup of July 15, 2016.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday that Germany needed more information and evidence about the group to categorize it as a terrorist organization, just as it did for the PKK terrorist group."If Germany respects to Turkey's sovereignty rights, it should recognize FETÖ as terrorist organization, a villainous organization that is even worse than PKK," said Bahçeli.Bahçeli also called on Germany to extradite FETÖ members to Turkey.According to the Turkish government, the 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.FETÖ terror group strips schools for cash in EthiopiaUK court to conclude FETÖ extradition case in November
MHP head urges Germany to see FETÖ as terrorist