FETÖ terrorists to wear standard issue uniforms

After one of the defendants appeared at the Fetullah Terror Organization (FETÖ) trial wearing a T-shirt reading “Hero”, sparking public outrage, a “uniform” for the suspects has been considered and decided on by Turkish authorities. The Ministry of Justice discussed the options regarding the prison uniform in detail with textile experts, after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recalled the Guantanamo prisoners’ “uniform” on the first anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt and said that it could be similarly administered for FETÖ terrorists.

In the meetings attended by textile workshop managers and engineers working at penal institutions, as well as authorities from the Ministry of Justice Department of Workshops Institutions, the trial uniforms have been discussed to be manufactured from “alpaca” fabric, suited to Turkey’s climate conditions. Various colors and two samples (suit of a shirt and trousers or a zip-down jumpsuit) have been suggested, while a uniform comprising of a shirt and trousers has mostly been favored for the arrested FETÖ terrorists.

The model uniforms have been started to be sewn at textile workshops in open prisons in Bandırma and Bursa. If the uniform for detainees is resolved, nearly 50,000 uniforms will be manufactured in an “almond” color by the prisoners at workshops, and sent to prisons where FETÖ terrorists are being detained.

FETÖ member and former Combat Search and Rescue noncommissioned officer Gökhan Güçlü, who was among the traitors attempting to assassinate President Erdoğan in Marmaris on the night of July 15, arrived at his trial in Muğla wearing a T-shirt with the word "hero" inscribed on it. This scandal sparked outrage among millions of citizens, particularly martyrs’ relatives and veterans. Resorting to flee on the morning of July 16 as their assassination attempt failed, FETÖ terrorists Güçlü was arrested in a culvert after days of search.

At least 241 people were martyred and nearly 2,200 injured in the July 15 failed coup which was organized by followers of Fetullah Gülen, the FETÖ leader who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.

Gülen pursued a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.