Raids part of crackdown on what president describes as 'parallel state' seeking to topple his government

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Turkish authorities have detained two dozen police officers in nationwide raids over an alleged plot to overthrow the Islamic-rooted government of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Police conducted early morning raids in 16 cities across Turkey, including Istanbul as well as the western province of Izmir, and detained at least 20 police officers, private NTV television reported.

Among those arrested on Monday was Yakup Saygili, the former chief of the police anti-fraud unit, it added.

It was the fourth such wave of raids since July as the government cracks down on what Erdoğan has described as a "parallel state" within the security forces seeking to topple his government.

Arrest warrants were issued for at least 34 officers accused of a number of offences including illegally eavesdropping on top officials and attempting to overthrow the government.

Since July, dozens of police officers have been arrested and placed in custody on suspicion of forming a criminal organisation and wire-tapping hundreds of people including Erdoğan.

The latest arrests appeared to represent a new offensive against the movement of Erdoğan's former ally Fethullah Gulen in the wake of a vast corruption scandal that broke late last year, implicating Erdoğan and his inner circle.

Erdogan has long accused followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen of using its sway in Turkey's police and the judiciary and of concocting the vast corruption scandal.

The allegations were based on recorded phone conversations – purportedly of Erdoğan and his inner circle – whose publication held much of Turkey in thrall.

Gulen, who has been based in the US since 1999, denied any involvement in the claims.

By coincidence, Istanbul prosecutors announced on Monday they were dropping all legal proceedings against 96 people investigated as a result of the corruption allegations, including Erdoğan's son Bilal.

Erdoğan stepped in to his new role as president last Thursday after winning Turkey's first direct presidential elections on 10 August. His close ally, former foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, was appointed his successor as premier.

Erdoğan had said Davutoglu was chosen due to his "determination to fight" the parallel state.

Speaking at Istanbul airport before leaving on his first foreign trip as head of state, Erdoğan said more operations could follow to arrest further suspects.

"As you know it is only part of the process. It is not the end," he said. There could be a new wave "if new information or evidence emerge."

Since the allegations first broke, the government has already moved to purge opponents from the security forces and increase its control over appointments in the judiciary.

In a speech on Monday, Turkey's top judge issued a thinly veiled warning to Erdoğan to refrain from interfering in the judiciary.

"A judicial authority that is under the influence of the executive cannot correctly fulfil its role which is to prevent arbitrariness and illegality," said the president of Turkey's supreme court, Ali Alkan, in a speech marking the opening of the judicial year.

In a sign of the tensions between the government and the judiciary, both Erdoğan and his prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu shunned the event to mark the new judicial year, which they would normally be expected to attend.