Operations targeting the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) since the July 15 coup have rendered successful results. Approximately 170,000 suspects have been subjected to the criminal procedural act, and 50,000 of those suspects have been arrested.
Some of the administrators of the terrorist organization fled, and some have been arrested. Despite the operations, FETÖ still proceeds furtively in order to maintain its foundation and reconstruct the terrorist organization across the country.
Turkey’s western province İzmir bore witness to the most concrete example of this. Under the coordination of İzmir’s Chief Prosecutor Okan Bato, the Provincial Security Directorate Terror and Intelligence Branch teams put FETÖ terrorists suspected of continuing to carry out work on behalf of the organization under careful surveillance.
The operation was given the green light after close to four months of technical surveillance. On July 25, simultaneous operations in Istanbul, Aydın, Muğla and İzmir were conducted targeting 132 FETÖ terrorists.
Of the 132 suspects, 121 were captured, including the “regional imam” (religious head) of the Aegean region. Codenamed “Ali,” he was caught with $442,000 of FETÖ’s money, numerous cell phones and digital material.
Details of FETÖ’s İzmir structure and activities were exposed as a result of the technical surveillance conducted by İzmir security forces. The surveillance revealed that FETÖ had divided İzmir into 14 areas which were then further split into smaller zones.
FETÖ, which now operates underground, members are appointed duties such as “head of religious discussions,” “accountant,” “head of safe deposit,” and “head of cryptic communication systems.”
FETÖ terrorists often change their codenames to avoid being identified. Additionally, FETÖ is working very covertly in its recruitment of new members. There are strict precautionary measures in this regard.
FETÖ members, who aim to prevent the collapse of the organization, operate strictly in line with the chain of command, and always obey the hierarchy.
Positions assigned to FETÖ terrorists across the country are determined by an appointment method, and any member who is identified or caught is replaced immediately.
The Izmir-based operation also exposed the meetings of FETÖ terrorists. It was found that the FETÖ terrorists held meetings for the “large region” on Mondays, and meetings for the “small zones” were held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The meetings were held in vehicles, cafes, parks and even houses that were previously rented but kept empty.
FETÖ terrorists turn their phones off for a certain period of time before and after the meetings.
The investigation also found that FETÖ’s money-collecting activities are still underway. At meetings in which the instructions of ringleader Fetullah Gülen are transmitted and decisions about organizational activities are taken, money is collected, supposedly for charity and scholarship. Money collected for “victims” is distributed among the families of arrested FETÖ members.
Initially, FETÖ was using the crypto communication programs ByLock and Eagle, and has now started to use the “Coco” application.
In conversations held via the Coco application in 2016, terrorists who collect the most money for FETÖ are praised and encouraged.
In a message sent to FETÖ members from a group named “This too shall pass,” there is a graphic depicting the money collected under the name of charity. The graphic lists the amounts “Pledged,” “Collected,” and “Remaining.”
The note at the bottom of the message says: “We would like to thank number 12, Mr. Mesut, who ranked first this week. He collected 7,000 TL this week by working hard to collect old and new payments. May God grant him abundance, and we commend him for his efforts in the other large regions. I hope that we will have finished these old collections until Ramadan.”
