A Turkish court on Saturday ordered the formal arrest of 12 more police officers, including the former head of Istanbul’s intelligence unit, pending charges they may have illegally wiretapped Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, media said.
Ali Fuat Yılmazer, a former Istanbul police intelligence chief, is among the arrested suspects.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) claims that supporters of former ally, U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, formed an alleged “parallel state” aimed at toppling the government, particularly through their posts in the judiciary and the police.
The detention of 115 police officers in overnight raids earlier this week.

Dozens of senior police officers suspected were detained on the grounds of espionage and illegal wiretapping, with Prime Minister Erdoğan indicating that the probes would be widened.