Istanbul: Turkish authorities have detained 163 suspects in nationwide raids over alleged ties to the Glen movement, the state news agency Anadolu reported.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Glen movement, founded by the late Islamic cleric Fethullah Glen, is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey. Police conducted raids in Istanbul, Izmir, and several other provinces as part of a broader investigation, targeting 176 individuals, 174 of whom are active duty armed forces members, as reported by Anadolu.
Authorities claim the suspects were covertly recruited and placed within the military by the Glen movement. The group is held responsible by Ankara for the failed coup attempt in 2016, a charge that Glen had repeatedly denied before his death.
Once an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Glen severed ties with the government in 2013. Since then, Turkish authorities have consistently launched operations against alleged followers of the movement. These operations have led to tens of thousands being purged from public service.
Glen, who had been residing in the US for many years, passed away there in October.
