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by IANS |
Istanbul, Dec 25 (IANS) Turkish police detained 32 individuals in an operation targeting those allegedly linked to a network accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt.
The operation, coordinated by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Izmir, involved intelligence and counter-terrorism units across four provinces on Tuesday in Turkey, Xinhua news agency reported quoting state-run TRT.
A warrant for the arrest of 35 suspects was issued after it was determined that they were active in the current structure of the Gulen movement, which the Turkish government holds responsible for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
The investigation also uncovered that these suspects were exploring new methods to reorganise the group and secure financial support.
TRT reported that the police teams conducted six months of physical and technical surveillance to uncover the suspects' activities, and efforts are ongoing to capture the remaining three individuals.
The movement, led by and named after Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who passed away in September in the United States, has been accused by the Turkish government of masterminding the coup attempt, which resulted in the deaths of over 250 people.
Earlier on Tuesday Turkish police detained 16 suspects in an operation across four provinces for allegedly raising funds for the Islamic State (IS), local media reported.
The operation was part of an investigation conducted by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in the western city of Izmir.
The prosecutors had issued arrest warrants for 23 individuals, it said.
Following the warrants, police units raided 10 businesses across Izmir, Mersin, Adana, and Manisa, detaining 16 suspects, and seizing $4,110, 7,205 euros, 434,650 Turkish liras, 40 grams of gold, and numerous digital materials, it said.
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