The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday ordered the detention of 1,112 people as part of a massive crackdown targeting followers of the faith-based Gülen movement.
The suspects were accused of cheating in an exam for deputy police chief in 2010, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
The agency reported that at least 650 of those being sought were detained during police operations in 76 provinces.
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on Sunday vowed another large-scale operation against the Gülen movement, the HaberTürk newspaper reported.
“We’re getting ready for another large-scale operation against ‘FETÖ’,” Soylu said, using the derogatory term coined by government circles to refer to the movement, adding: “We will blow their minds. They are still present, and they are lying in wait for the government to weaken. Even demons don’t have their ability to deceive. But this country has children who will watch out for them.”
The Turkish government accuses the movement of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt, although it strongly denies any involvement.
Since then over 600,000 people have been investigated on terrorism charges.
Meanwhile in Tokat and Ankara, the police on Tuesday detained 21 suspects on allegations of Gülen links.