Turkey detains 10 foreigners over suspected ties to Gulen

Deputy PM says more foreign nationals could be arrested as investigation into failed coup continues

Turkish authorities have detained at least 10 foreign nationals suspected of ties to a US-based cleric whom Turkey accuses of masterminding the July 15 failed coup, a senior official said Monday.

At least four of them had been formally arrested pending trial while a fifth person had been released, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. One of the suspects was detained on Saturday after entering Turkey illegally from Syria, the deputy premier said. Kurtulmus said at least one wanted foreign national was on the run.

He didn’t provide details on their nationalities, but said the number of foreigners detained could increase as the investigation deepens.

Turkey’s government launched a sweeping crackdown targeting followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of being behind the coup attempt by renegade soldiers within the military. Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, has denied involvement.

Members of Turkey armed forces are escorted by police over their suspected involvement in an attempted coup at the court house in Mugla, a Mediterranean city of Turkey, Sunday, July 17, 2016. (Tolga Adanali/Depo Photos via AP)

Nearly 18,000 people have been detained or arrested in the crackdown, mostly from the military. Tens of thousands of people have been suspended or dismissed from jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government.

The scope of the crackdown has alarmed European countries and rights groups, who have urged restraint.

The Turkish government is demanding Gulen’s extradition from the US. Washington has said it would need evidence of the cleric’s involvement, and says the extradition process must be allowed to take its course.

On Sunday, Turkey held a mass rally in Istanbul to denounce the attempted coup, which two main opposition party leaders attended in a show of unity.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to the crowd during a Democracy and Martyrs' Rally in Istanbul, August. 7, 2016. (Kayhan Ozer/Presidential Press Service via AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to the crowd during a Democracy and Martyrs’ Rally in Istanbul, August. 7, 2016. (Kayhan Ozer/Presidential Press Service via AP)

Kurtulmus, citing police figures, said as many as 5 million people attended the rally, which he described as a strong expression by the Turkish people of their demand that Gulen be returned to Turkey to face trial. Turkey also is pressing for the extradition of other US-based Gulen supporters.

“I have no doubt that US officials will review their stance (on Gulen),” Kurtulmus said. “Either they will continue to protect three or five bandits, or they will act in a way that will allow them to win the hearts of a nation of 79 million people.”