Turkey detains 39 over links to US-based cleric

ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s state-run news agency says police have detained at least 39 people, including military officers, over their suspected links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016.

Anadolu Agency said the suspects were detained Wednesday in simultaneous raids in 23 provinces. Police were acting on warrants for the arrest of a total of 71 people, including former or serving officers from Turkey’s land, air and gendarmerie forces, Anadolu said.

Turkey regularly carries out such operations as part of a large-scale government crackdown on Gulen’s movement. Some 77,000 people have been arrested and around 130,000 others — including teachers, judges, prosecutors and police and military officers — have been dismissed from state jobs since the attempted coup.

Gulen denies involvement in the attempt.