Daily Times

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Wednesday detained more than 1,000 alleged supporters of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, the biggest crackdown since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s victory in a referendum on ramping up his powers.

The dawn raids across the country to seek a total of over 3,000 suspects came just a week after Erdogan narrowly won public blessing for controversial changes to the constitution to create a presidential system. They are the latest indication Turkey intends no let-up in the fight against its perceived enemies after the referendum, with fighter jets Tuesday pounding Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and northern Syria. A total of 1,013 suspects have so far been detained in raids in all of Turkey’s 81 provinces, the official Anadolu news agency said.

Anadolu said 4,672 suspects were sought — of whom 1,448 are already in jail — meaning that a total of 3,224 arrest warrants were issued. Turkish authorities blame Gulen for masterminding the July 2016 failed military coup that aimed to oust Erdogan from power but he denies the charges. About 8,500 police officers were involved in the nationwide operation, Anadolu reported, adding that arrest warrants had been issued for 390 suspects in Istanbul alone.

Indicating that the numbers detained were set to rise, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the raids were continuing. “It is an important step for the Turkish Republic,” he added. The ‘Yes’ camp won 51.41 percent of the vote in the April 16 referendum but opponents claim the result would have been reversed in a fair poll. Analysts have said that following the poll Erdogan faces a choice between confrontation and reconciliation with the nation deeply divided.

Turkey accuses the Hizmet (Service) movement Gulen leads of being a “terror organisation” although the group insists it is a peaceful organisation promoting moderate Islam.