Police launched operations early in the morning and detained 12 people in central province of Konya, three in Istanbul, three in northwestern province of Kocaeli, one in eastern province of Elazig and one in southern province of Mersin, the state-run Anatolian Agency earlier reported.

Professor Uckun Geray is among the people detained is Istanbul.

Worker's Party (IP) said in a statement posted on its website that three of party executives were taken into custody.

The Ergenekon operation accuses an illegal gang to provoke events that eventually cause the army to overthrow the government.

However the lack of formal charges and the detainment of prominent anti-AKP names raised eyebrows in Turkey and critics say the operation was used to suppress the government's opponents, adding the ruling party is trying to form "a fear empire."

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