Turkey: 6 linked to probe into FETO finances set free
92 suspects remain under interrogation as part of probe into Akfa Holding and its 44 sub-companies, and Yeni Magazacilik
By Filiz Kinik
ISTANBUL
Six suspects accused of providing financial support to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) were released on orders of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Friday after they recorded their testimonies.
The six were detained along with 92 others over claims of providing financial support to FETO, which the Turkish government blames for carrying out the deadly coup attempt on July 15, according to a police source.
Among the released suspects is Turgut Aydin, chairman of the executive board of A101 supermarket chain.
The remaining 92 suspects were still under interrogation as part of an ongoing investigation into Akfa Holding and its 44 other sub-companies and Yeni Magazacilik company.
On Thursday, police had raided several company headquarters, including the Akfa Holding and the A101 supermarket chain in Istanbul. Among those detained were Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists Chair Rizanur Meral, Aydinli Group Chair Omer Faruk Kavurmaci, and Faruk and Nejat Gulluoglu, owners of the well-known Gulluoglu Baklava chain.
A wave of detentions following the July 15 defeated coup has seen thousands of people held across Turkey.
Senior business figures, as well as members of the military, police and judiciary have been among those targeted.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim confirmed on Wednesday over 20,000 people had been remanded in custody since the July 15 coup attempt.
During a live interview on the state-owned TRT Haber news channel, Yildirim laid out statistics indicating a wide-ranging investigation in which "40,029 people have been detained and 20,355 were arrested, including police officers, soldiers, judiciary members, local administrators and civilians.”
Yildirim also said 5,187 people are still remanded in custody.
So far, nearly 80,000 civil servants have been suspended from duty while just over 5,000 have been dismissed, Yildirim added.
Turkey's government has said the defeated coup, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, was organized by followers of Fetullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his FETO network.
Gulen is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.
