Trustees take over Kaynak Holding companies in Istanbul

Court-appointed trustees took over 19 companies, a foundation and a union connected with Kaynak Holding -- allegedly linked with the "Gulenist terror group" -- in Istanbul on Wednesday, police said.

Wednesday's move was made in accordance with a court order that came at the request of the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Istanbul-based holding is accused of providing financial support to what officials describe as the "Gulenist Terror Organization", the movement led by U.S.-based Turkish preacher Fetullah Gulen that which is accused of plotting to overthrow the elected Turkish government.

The trustees entered buildings of Kaynak Holding in the city’s Uskudar, Bagcilar and Bayrampasa districts in the presence of police officers from the Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Struggle Branch.

Riot police also took security measures in the area.

Kaynak was also the subject of a tax investigation last year.

The Gulen movement is accused of plotting to overthrow the government by infiltrating state institutions, mainly the police and the judiciary.

Gulen supporters are accused of engaging in long-term wiretapping of high-ranking government officials and mounting a coup d'etat attempt through a graft investigation in December 2013, which had then targeted Cabinet members.

On Nov. 9, a court in Istanbul ordered the arrests in absentia of Gulen.