Islamic scholar Gülen rejects involvement with graft probe and wiretappings

Turkish and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen
Turkish and Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen


Date posted: March 19, 2014

 

ISTANBUL

 

Fethullah Gülen said it would be morally unacceptable for him to stop, including people in his Hizmet (Service) Movement, probing corruption claims.

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has dismissed government accusations that he has orchestrated a graft probe while rejecting any involvement with recent online wiretapping leaks in the second part of an extensive interview with Today’s Zaman.

“I have said this before. I have no connection to those who organized these operations. I have repeatedly stated that I do not know any of them, but they continue to claim those prosecutors and police officers are linked to me,” Gülen was quoted as saying by Today’s Zaman March 18.

The U.S.-based scholar lamented that the government had sought to target those conducting investigations into corruption allegations, rather than those suspected of being involved in the graft scandal.

“Turkey launched a crackdown on those who investigated the corruption instead of on those who engaged in corrupt practices,” said Gülen, emphasizing that corruption was also contrary to Islam’s principles.

He also said it would be morally unacceptable for him to stop, including people in his Hizmet (Service) Movement, probing corruption claims.

“If among those who conducted the graft investigations were some people who might be connected to the Hizmet movement, was I supposed to tell these people, ‘Turn a blind eye to the corruption charges?’ It appears to me that some people were expecting me to do this. Did they expect me to do this? How can I say something that would ruin my afterlife? How else can I act?” he said.

Accusations on wiretapping without evidence

Gülen also rejected the latest accusations against his movement of wiretapping phone conversations of top government officials, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and a number of aides and businessmen close to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in connection with the graft accusations.

Among the leaked voice recordings, an alleged conversation between Erdoğan and his son in the wake of the Dec. 17, 2013, raids caused a huge uproar, with both frantically discussing how to hide a huge amount of cash.

Erdoğan has directly rejected the authenticity of the recording, claiming that it was a “montage” and directly accused Gülen’s movement of being responsible for the leak.

“Given that no strong or convincing evidence is being presented on such a critical and delicate issue, it is fair to believe the accusers have something different in mind,” Gülen told Today’s Zaman regarding the accusations, adding that quite the contrary, he supported any investigations into illegal recordings.

“No matter what, those who relied on illegal methods to listen in on phone calls should be identified and brought to justice. This should be done regardless of the perpetrator’s identity and affiliation,” Gülen said. However, he also called on a side note for questioning those who make accusations against his movement.

“I believe complaining about the audio recordings, but also using some of them as part of election campaigning, is not reconcilable with ethical and legal principles,” Gülen said.

Source: Hurriyet Daily , March 19, 2014


Related News

What a plot attempts to tell

The film “Birleşen Gönüller” (The Converging Hearts) was released to Turkish audiences on Friday. The film is based on a true story that begins in the Soviet Union during the years of World War II and reaches Central Asia in the 1990s.

Today’s Zaman praised for quality coverage on 6th anniversary

AYDIN ALBAYRAK/ALI ASLAN KILIÇ/SİNEM CENGİZ ANKARA On the occasion of the sixth anniversary of Today’s Zaman, senior leaders of the governing and opposition parties as well as Ankara-based foreign diplomats expressed their appreciation for the daily as an important source of information on Turkey. They described Today’s Zaman, the largest-circulated English daily in Turkey, as […]

The fall of democracy and predicament of political Islam in Turkey

Hizmet is one of the world’s leading civil society movements. The threatening remarks and the derogatory discourse of Erdoğan against Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet movement is totally at odds with democratic norms and principles.

Fethullah Gülen on Islam’s Relationship and Compatibility with Democracy

TAUSEEF AHMAD PARRAY* This article explores the Islam-democracy debate in the thought and writings of one of the prominent living Muslim intellectuals of Turkey, Fethullah Gülen. Born in 1941, Gülen, addresses the hotly debated issues that have gained prominence as they become highly intensified in the post 9/11 world. Fethullah Gülen (b. 1941, Erzurum, Eastern […]

Bosnian Court Lifts Movement Restrictions on Turkish Citizen

A court in Bosnia and Herzegovina has terminated restrictions on the movement of Turkish citizen Fatih Keskin, previously imposed by the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs following his arrest and subsequent release in December last year, the court told.

Crimes Against Humanity in Erdogan’s Turkey

The seventh stage [of genicide] is “Preparation.” Erdogan and his supporters direct violent phrases at Hizmet participants, including “they will not have access to food and water” and “they will beg us to kill them to avoid torture.” Widespread propaganda calls Hizmet participants “assassins,” “terrorists” or pawns of foreign powers such as the CIA, Mossad or the Vatican.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

The Gulen Institute Youth Platform has announced its fifth international essay contest

European court rules Asya-like seizure of bank unfair

Kimse Yok Mu and Tuna Foundation lifting up Romanian orphans’ spirit

Dehumanize me Turkish-style — no comment

Former US Ambassador David Newton praises Gülen

Terrorist Bahoz Erdal calls on families to protect their children from the Gulen Movement!

Kimse Yok Mu launches a bakery for Sudanese orphans

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News