Turkey knows the whereabouts of a key Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) member, the interior minister said on Sunday.
"We know the whereabouts of Adil Öksüz," Süleyman Soylu said at a local TV program.
Öksüz, a theology professor, is allegedly the "imam" of FETO members in the air force and a key link to U.S.-based FETO leader Fetullah Gulen.
FETO orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Soylu went on to say the U.S. is protecting the ringleader of the terrorist organization and by default its finances.
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu says that Turkey knows the whereabouts of the fugitive Gulenist terrorist Adil Öksüz adding that Turkey's fight against terrorism will continue both within and outside the country. pic.twitter.com/8gZo5UKtFX
— ANews (@anewscomtr) December 1, 2019
Adding that Europe, especially Germany, knows the unlawful actions of fugitive FETO members, but they still continue to protect them.
"We are using the same monitoring method for FETO as we do for a criminal terrorist organization. We follow their moves," he said.
He said FETO could organize small-scale events to harm Turkey.
Soylu added that Turkey will continue its fight against terrorism both within and outside the country's border.
He said Turkish gendarmes and police officers have been in contact with 5,300 families not only in Turkey, but also outside the country.
"We have convinced 600 terrorists and their families to surrender and brought them to justice in the last three years," said Soylu.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
