Turkey accuses 33 police of plotting to overthrow government

Turkey is accusing 33 police of seeking to overthrow the government of newly elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Authorities detained at least 20 police Monday during raids in 16 cities across Turkey. One of those arrested was Yakup Saygili, the former chief of the police anti-fraud unit.

It was the fourth in a wave of raids since July as the government attempts to crack down on what Erdogan has called a “parallel state” within the security forces. The government has accused the police of wire-tapping hundreds of people, including Erdogan.

The latest arrests come just days after former Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu succeeded Erdogan as prime minister. Davutoglu has vowed to continue the campaign against those the Turkish leaders allege are seeking to overthrow the government.

Erdogan accuses U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen of using his network of followers, who have influence within the police and other Turkish institutions, as part of the plot against the state.

Source: VOANews.com

Comments

comments