Police forces conducted simultaneous operations in many locations after the arrest warrants were issued as part of a probe into the group’s infiltration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, security sources said.

The arrest warrants were issued after prosecutors determined that the suspects had communicated with the group members via landlines or payphones, and used Bylock, an encrypted messaging app developed and exclusively used by members of the group.

Since May 2016, Turkey has classified the FETO organization as a terrorist organization under the assigned names Fethullahist Terrorist Organization and Parallel State Structure. 

After the failed coup attempt in 2016, the government of Turkey blamed the group for the coup and authorities have arrested thousands of soldiers and judges who have links to the organization. (ILKHA)