Judge who termed Gulen 'The Mahdi' arrested

A criminal judge from Istanbul who said he believed US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen was "The Mahdi" has been remanded in custody after a court appearance, security sources said on Friday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, security officials told Anadolu Agency that judge Ilhan Karagoz declared that he believed Gulen, suspected of masterminding last week's failed coup attempt against the Turkish government, was "The Mahdi" or the "Awaited One."

According to Islamic belief, the emergence of the "The Mahdi" in the world will herald the end of times. It is believed that he will rid the world of evil by ruling it for several years.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly coup attempt on July 15, which resulted in the death of at least 246 people and injured more than 2,100 others, was organized by FETO [Gulenist Terror Organization].

Karagoz, along with other judiciary members, was taken into custory over suspected links to FETO on Friday.

Since last Friday, 132 judges and prosecutors have been remanded in custody.

Gulen is also accused of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the "parallel state."