Turkey Orders Former Intelligence Personnel Detained in Gulen Probe

Turkey issued arrest warrants for 63 people, including former National Intelligence Agency (MIT) personnel, over alleged links to the U.S.-based cleric accused of orchestrating last year's attempted coup, Anadolu agency reported on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The police operation was launched in 21 provinces across Turkey, the state-run news agency reported.

Ankara says cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in the United States since 1999, was behind the abortive putsch in July 2016. Gulen has denied involvement.

More than 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial for alleged ties to Gulen's movement and some 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors for the same reason.