FETÖ terror group denial strategy won't work, says Turkey

FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, is pursuing a strategy of simply denying their many crimes in the hopes of escaping justice, said the Turkish justice minister on Wednesday.

Abduhamit Gül said that the members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) deny their crimes "in line with orders" despite the evidence against them.

But the Turkish state’s efforts against FETÖ have not flagged, he said.

"Major operations, investigations, and prosecutions of the administrative, covert, infiltration elements of FETÖ are continuing," he added.

It would be wrong to assert that all FETÖ members have already been found, he explained.

"In the judiciary, civil administration, military, wherever [FETÖ has infiltrated], no matter the organization, the fight against all the sleeper, ‘covert’ elements will continue within the framework of the law," he added.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.