FETÖ leader's cousin gets 21 years in jail in Turkey

A court in the Aegean city of Izmir on Thursday handed down a 21-year jail term to the cousin of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) leader over his involvement in the July 2016 defeated coup, according to a judicial source.

The 13th High Criminal Court in Izmir handed down jail terms to three FETÖ members, including FETÖ leader's cousin Mehmet Mezher Gulen.

The Izmir court sentenced 21 years in jail to FETÖ leader's cousin Gulen, 11 years to Ersin Topuz, and 12 years and nine months to Mehmet Dasonu for attempting to violate the constitutional order, the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said.

Mehmet Mezher Gulen was also accused of using ByLock -- an encrypted mobile phone application used by coup plotters – and of financing the terror group.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 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.