A Turkish court sentenced U.S. consulate employee Metin Topuz to 8 years and 9 months in jail for aiding the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation [FETO], state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Thursday.
The case has been one of several sources of strain between Ankara and Washington. In March, prosecutors said Topuz should be acquitted on charges of espionage and trying to overthrow the government, but should face jail on a lesser charge of belonging to a terrorist organisation.
Metin Topuz, who worked as a liaison officer for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Istanbul, was arrested in 2017.
He was accused of making contact with police and a prosecutor suspected of ties to US-based FETO ringleader Fethullah Gulen, who masterminded the deadly July 15 coup bid 4 years ago.
