Turkey detains defence firm Assan Group executives in military espionage probe

Turkish authorities have detained the owner and general manager of Assan Group, a defence and construction conglomerate, as part of a military espionage investigation, the Istanbul prosecutor's office said late on Wednesday.

The prosecutor's office said the two men — identified as company owner Emin Oner and general manager Gurcan Okumus — were being held on suspicion of military espionage and membership in the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.

Searches were continuing at their homes and offices, while 10 companies operating under the Assan Group were placed under trustee management by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), the statement added.

Assan Group could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Okumus is a former head of TUBITAK SAGE, a state defence research institute that develops munitions and missile systems.

Assan, founded in 1989, has operations in defence, construction, logistics and energy, and in recent years expanded into producing artillery ammunition and drone components.

"The investigation is continuing in multiple directions," the prosecutor's office said.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Saad Sayeed)