The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s office on Monday issued detention warrants for 100 Turkish Land Forces members as part of a post-coup crackdown targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Turkish police raided houses in 41 provinces and detained at least 60 suspects.The prosecutor accused the detainees of using pay phones, a method that Turkish authorities believe military personnel have been using to maintain links to the Gülen movement.Over 8,500 people have been detained so far based on investigations into pay phone usage.
Meanwhile Turkish police on Monday detained eight people in Van province over Gülen links, on suspicion of maintaining activities on behalf of the movement.The Turkish government believes the Gülen movement orchestrated a failed coup in 2016, although the movement strongly denies it.Some 140,000 public servants have been dismissed since the abortive putsch due to alleged Gülen links, and more than 600,000 people have been investigated on allegations of terrorism.