Some 200 policemen in the north were being investigated in connection with potential links to Fetullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric believed to be behind last year’s attempted coup in the neighbouring country, daily Kibris reported on Friday.
During the investigation, which began two weeks ago, police personnel were asked questions such as where they were on the night of July 15, 2016, whom they had visited abroad in the past, and whether they knew who provided financial support to the organisation.
According to the report, among those investigated was an intelligence officer in the Turkish Cypriot security forces and a high-ranking police officer.
Suspects are being called to testify in front of a committee composed of two police officers and a high-ranking military officer.
The paper said not only officers from Turkey were being investigated but also Turkish Cypriots.
It is believed that up until now 50 police officers had been questioned but no charges were brought against any of them.
The investigation caused great concern amongst the police officers with some reportedly questioning why they were being investigated when the only relation they had with Feto, the “Fetullah terrorist organisation”, was being familiar with its name.
The news on the investigation was broken on Thursday noon by a web-based portal, which informed its readers that they will be writing about the “Feto investigation”.
Later in the day a police statement confirmed the investigation.
It is rumoured that the investigation in question will also spread to business circles in the north on the allegations that some businessmen financially supported Gulen’s movement.
The alleged crackdown on Feto in Turkey was intensified following the attempted coup on July 15 last year. Gulen, who is in self-exile in the US categorically denied the allegations.
In January this year, nine colonels serving in the north were arrested after an investigation linked them to the alleged terror organisation.
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