Turkish police detain about 100 people due to ties with cleric Gulen

The Turkish police has detained nearly 100 people in an investigation of their alleged financial links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a foe of President Tayyip Erdogan, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Monday.

It said the police operation, focused on Istanbul, was launched across nine provinces and 88 people have so far been taken into custody, with prosecutors having issued arrest warrants for 140 people under the probe, Istanbul Reuters informs.

Among those detained were executives and employees of Islamic lender Bank Asya, which was founded by followers of Gulen and seized by the government last year, it said.

The probe is centered on financial support raised for Gulen's group amounting to some 50 million lira ($17 million), Anadolu added.