Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 84 academics nationwide, the private Dogan news agency reported, while the state-run Anadolu agency said Istanbul authorities were separately hunting 62 academics from the city’s main university.
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More than 5,000 civil servants have been dismissed and nearly 80,000 others suspended, he added. Around 100 people were detained.
Erdogan has vowed to cleanse the state from the “cancer” of Gulen’s influence. It is alleged that the detention of opposition activists by the Azerbaijani government, is associated with the failed coup attempt in Turkey.
The suspects are accused of “membership in a terrorist organisation” and “financing the activities” of Gulen.
Nejat Gullu, chairman of baklava maker Gulluoglu, was detained, his company said in a statement on its website.
Gullu “would never stand with a terrorist organization or civic group that supports a terrorist organization”, it said and expressed confidence he would be cleared of any charges.
Police seized books by Gulen and a plaque awarded by the preacher to Kavurmaci during a search Thursday of the CEO’s office, Anadolu said.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Wednesday that 40,029 state employees had been detained in the post-coup crackdown, with 20,335 remanded in custody.
Several thousand companies and institutions suspected of having financed Gulen have been shut. In purges of the military, police, civil service and judiciary, 79,900 people had been removed from public duty, he said in a speech broadcast live on television.
Turkey also wants other nations to crack down on Gulen-affiliated organisations, including schools and businesses.
Turkey and Germany have had a series of disputes in recent months, just as the European Union has been trying to secure Turkey’s help in tackling the influx of migrants to Europe, of which Germany has taken in the bulk.
Gulen, 75, has strongly denied all of the government’s accusations.
It has demanded Washington extradite Gulen so he can face charges in Turkey, drawing a cautious reaction from US officials who say they need to see clear evidence linking Gulen to the military putsch.
In Van province, further east, two police officers and one civilian were killed and 73 people were wounded late on Wednesday when a auto bomb exploded near a police station, the local governor’s office said in a statement.
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Authorities are still searching for 137 fugitives, including nine generals and admirals, Defence Minister Fikri Isik told Anadolu.
