ANKARA 

Trying to stem arrests of terror group members, the U.S.-based leader of FETO is branding as “unbelievers” those members who admit their own affiliation and that of fellow members of the group, which is responsible for the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

In a video shared by some FETO-affiliated social media accounts, Fetullah Gulen says that those who tell the names of fellow members are "unbelievers" even if they pray "10 times a day".

FETO and Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, as well as a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Turkish officials have also warned of FETO’s attempts to distort and exploit religion.

"Allah gave us a mind to think, compare, and make our own decisions," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in August 2016, warning people to beware of FETO manipulation.

The new video aims to discourage members from surrendering to the Turkish government, which has made thousands of arrests following the defeated coup attempt.

Hundreds of defendants in three FETO-related cases are being tried for attempting to overthrow the government and the constitutional order and commit murder on the night of July 15.

Gulen claims in the video that the organization is going through a “critical” process, and those who prefer to be subjected to violence rather than surrender would be rewarded.

His remarks come days after the testimony of some former senior soldiers who admitted their FETO membership and named other members.

Reporting byAli Kemal Akan:Writing by Burcu Arik