The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday ordered the detention of 1,112 people as part of a massive crackdown targeting followers of the faith-based Gülen movement.
The suspects were accused of allegedly cheating on an exam for deputy police chief eight years ago, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
The agency reported that at least 124 of those being sought were detained during police operations in 76 provinces.
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on Sunday vowed another large-scale operation against the Gülen movement.
“We’re getting ready for another large-scale operation against ‘FETÖ’,” Soylu said, using the derogatory term coined by government circles to refer to the movement, adding: “We will blow their minds. They are still present, and they are lying in wait for the government to weaken. Even demons don’t have their ability to deceive. But this country has children who will watch out for them.”
Meanwhile in Tokat and Ankara, the police on Tuesday detained 21 suspects over Gülen links.
Following a controversial coup attempt in 2016, the government launched a massive crackdown on followers of the Gülen movement under the pretext of an anti-coup fight as a result of which more than 150,000 people were removed from state jobs, 33,000 of whom were police officers, while in excess of 50,000 others were jailed and some 600,000 people have been investigated on allegations of terrorism. (SCF, turkishminute.com)
