Turkish media report that close associates of self-exiled imam Fethullah Gulen were arrested by the authorities while attempting to flee illegally to Greece.

They are Mehmet Gudem and his wife Mine, who together with 18 other people tried to cross into Greek territory, through the river Evros, but were stopped by the Turkish security forces.

Of the 20 people, it was found – according to the Turkish Authorities – that 16 were members of Gulen’s FETO and the rest were members of Kurdish organizations, which Turkey labelled as “terrorist”.

Turkish newspaper reports state that Mehmet Gudem, a journalist and former member of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, is the author of the book “11 Days with Fethullah Gulen”.

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The book was published in 2005, when Erdogan-Gulen relations were at their best.

Gudem was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for membership in an armed terrorist organization.

He was initially arrested in 2017, as part of an investigation by the Istanbul General Prosecutor’s Office against the directors, members and employees of the Journalists and Writers Foundation.

He had written the biographies of many Turkish politicians, including former Turkish President Abdullah Gul.