Turkey cancels passports of 49,211 nat'ls over coup links

ANKARA, July 29 (KUNA) -- Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala announced Friday the cancelation of passports of 49,211 people involved in the July 15th failed coup.
"As many as 49,211 passports of citizens have been canceled," Ala told Turkey's State TV (TRT) on Friday.
He pointed out that over 18,000 people have been detained in Turkey as part of its probe into the coup attempt.
"The number of people detained stands at 18,044, out of whom 9,677 have been remanded in custody so far as part of the probe into the Fetullah Terror Organization's (FETO) coup attempt.
"Those linked to FETO are being suspended while others who have links to FETO coup attempt are being fired from various state departments." On concerns over human rights violations, the minister said: "We have acted from the start in accordance with democratic principles, rule of law." More than 66,000 people have been suspended or fired from state institutions over suspected links with the coup attempts till Thursday, July 28.
The suspension of staff from various public offices came after July 15-coup bid which is believed to have been orchestrated by Gulen followers, who have been accused of attempting to infiltrate Turkey's vital state institutions -- especially the military, police apparatus and judiciary -- with the aim of creating a "parallel state." At least 246 people, including civilians and security personnel, were killed -- and nearly 2,200 injured -- during the coup attempt. (end) rs.ibi