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The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the capital Ankara issued detention warrants for 19 suspects, including personnel of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) and the prominent defense company Aselsan. Operations were launched in five provinces on Tuesday to capture the suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
The warrants were the culmination of an investigation into affairs of H.I.A, a fugitive FETÖ suspect recently captured. A probe into digital possessions of the suspect revealed he used the Signal app for encrypted messaging with fellow members of the terrorist group. Among them were two staff members of TÜBİTAK, an employee of Aselsan, an employee of Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency (TENMAK) and an employee of the major telecoms company Türk Telekom.
FETÖ is known for its widespread infiltration into state agencies and institutions, from the army to law enforcement. Through its military infiltrators, it carried out a July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Since the coup attempt was quashed, the terrorist group faces heightened scrutiny. Thousands were arrested or detained for links to the group and expelled from public agencies after the coup attempt.
Previous investigations have revealed that the group is no stranger to encrypted communication and even developed an app exclusively for relaying messages of its leader, Fetullah Gülen. Messages exchanged over the app called Bylock were deciphered by Turkish authorities after years of work and led to arrests across Türkiye.
