Turkey orders 139 detained for suspected links to cleric

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says authorities have issued detention warrants for 139 public employees who are suspected of links to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of orchestrating last summer’s failed coup.

Anadolu Agency said Wednesday that authorities have ordered the detention of 60 employees at Ankara’s mayor’s office, 19 staff at district municipalities linked to Ankara, 30 former employees of the development ministry and 30 at the education ministry.

Turkey has embarked on a large-scale crackdown on Gulen’s followers since the coup attempt, arresting more than 47,000 people and purging tens of thousands from government jobs. Gulen has denied involvement in the coup.

Anadolu said the suspects were using an encrypted messaging application that the government says was used by Gulen followers.