Prosecutor calls for arrest of 38 officers released in wiretapping probe

Irfan Fidan, the prosecutor conducting the first wave operation into the wiretapping probe, demanded the arrest of 38 police officers released after their detention during overnight raids July 22.

'The real purpose of the suspects was to follow and wiretap state leaders in order to obtain classified information under the guise of an investigation,' said Fidan in the 167-page petition of objection he has submitted to Istanbul 1st Criminal Judicature.

'The criminal actions have been committed consciously, systematically and in a coordinated manner in unity of action and consensus by the suspects, from the lowest to the highest level, including those who have diplomatic immunity and legislative immunity,' Fidan said. From the police officer to the police chief -- no matter what rank and position they have --, all suspects are aware and conscious of this situation of the petition, he added.

'Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sarikaya and Foreign Operations Manager of Halk Bank, Levent Balkan, have been tapped under the guise of a concocted probe against a terrorist organisation even though there is no evidence,' said Fidan as referring to the suspected oversea connections of the officers loyal to the parallel gang nested within the police.

So far, 31 officers have been arrested into the probe over the alleged Iran-linked terrorist organisation, Selam Tevhid, as a pretense to wiretap and record phone conversations of 2280 people, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, ministers and key officials. Thirty-eight other suspects have been released including eight in judicial control in the same probe.