14 Turkish judiciary members remanded over coup bid

ISTANBUL

Fourteen judges and prosecutors were remanded into custody late Friday for alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), accused of a recent deadly coup attempt.

The 14 suspects out of 45 detained judges and prosecutors were remanded by a court in Istanbul while 14 others were released under judicial control, according to judicial sources who spoke to Anadolu Agency on the condition of anonymity, due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The remaining 17 suspects are being interrogated, sources added.

Ankara has repeatedly said the July 15 coup attempt was organized by followers of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen and his FETO group.

Gulen is also accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

Approximately 13,000 members of the military, police, judiciary, as well as civil servants, have been so far detained and 6,000 remanded to custody for alleged links to the terrorist group.

Tens of thousands of suspected Gulenists have been removed from their posts.

(Reporting by Muhammed Enes Can in Istanbul; Writing by Burcu Arik in Istanbul)