ISTANBUL - Turkey's National Intelligence Organisation suspended 100 people, most of whom who were not active agents, on suspicion they maintain links to a religious movement blamed for a failed coup plot, a senior Turkish official said on Tuesday.

Turkey has stripped thousands of public-sector employees of their responsibilities since a July 15 attempt by the military to overthrow the government that killed more than 200 people. Thousands more have been detained and face prosecution.

Turkey's government said followers of Fethullah Gulen, a 75-year-old Islamic preacher in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, in the military and other branches of government attempted the coup.