Turkish police arrested the brother of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of masterminding the 15 July coup attempt, according to state media.
Kutbettin Gülen, who was accused of “membership of an armed terror group”, was held at the home of a relative in the Gaziemir district of the western Izmir province and was placed under precautionary arrest.
Kutbettin, who is the first of Gulen’s siblings to be detained after the failed coup bid, was investigated by the anti-terrorism police forces.
Fethullah Gulen, a former Erdoğan ally who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, is accused by Turkey of orchestrating the 15 July coup.
Since the attempted coup, security forces arrested about 32,000 people; as Ankara demanded Gulen be extradited. He strongly denies any involvement in the coup attempt.
According to Turkish state’s media, Gulen has five brothers: Seyfullah and Hasbi, who are dead, and Mesih, Salih and Kutbettin. He also has two sisters, Nurhayat and Fazilet. Their current whereabouts are not known.
The Turkish government has agreed to extend its state of emergency as Turkey fights to wipe out “terrorist organisations” following July’s attempted coup, deputy prime minister and government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus revealed today.
Speaking at a press conference following the cabinet meeting, Kurtulmus said the extension will come into effect on 19 October, when the first three months expire.