Renewed attempt to target firm close to Hizmet exposed


Date posted: May 9, 2014

ISTANBUL

A prosecutor’s office in İstanbul is preparing to launch a new investigation into Kaynak Holding, a Turkish company close to the Hizmet movement, in an alleged attempt to reignite earlier claims of irregularities in the company, Today’s Zaman learned on Friday.

Kaynak was acquitted in a recent investigation in March which had alleged fraud within the company.

A Finance Ministry team examined tax documents related to Kaynak’s operations on the evening of March 26. On the same night, government media outlets aired reports online that referred to the inspection as a “raid.” Kaynak described the audit as a “routine visit,” denying claims of a raid.

The company also complained about what it said was an “intense smear campaign” against itself. It later took the issue to a court, which shortly after ruled that the inspections at Kaynak on March 26 were unlawful and that the documents confiscated during the inspections be returned to the firm. The firm said it still has not received its documents.

It later turned out that the Finance Ministry’s audit team had used falsified documents to carry out a tax inspection at Kaynak. The team used some e-mailed documents sent to them by an anonymous source, Ö.A, which failed to prove the allegations of irregularities at Kaynak.

A separate prosecutor’s office in İstanbul is now preparing to launch a new round of inspections at Kaynak. The office is again using e-mailed documents without confirming their authenticity, sources have told Today’s Zaman.

In addition, the prosecutor’s office has registered the new documents that it plans to use for the new inspection at Kaynak in a file named “Keynak” in the National Judiciary Network Project (UYAP). Legal experts have said this was done on purpose to keep the new investigation file secret. The experts said this is an illegal method of launching an investigation.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused Turkey’s largest Islamic group, the Hizmet movement, of orchestrating a plot to launch a graft inquiry targeting his family members, ministers and businessmen. He also accuses Hizmet followers of being involved in illicit wiretapped recordings of top government officials, which served to expand the scope of a corruption scandal which erupted on Dec. 17.

The operation at Kaynak Holding headquarters in March has raised questions over the motive behind the recent Finance Ministry visits to certain business groups and companies, with critics viewing them as politically motivated searches ordered by the government.

Last year, the police launched investigations into Turkey’s oil distributors, including the Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation (TÜPRAŞ) owned by Koç Holding, over suspicions of “trading irregularities” and evasion of private consumption tax (ÖTV). The controversial investigations came after Erdoğan issued stern warnings to a number of business groups — including Koç Holding — that opened their doors to protesters escaping riot police during the Gezi Park protests in İstanbul’s Taksim Square.

Erdoğan said the owners of Divan Hotel, which allowed the hotel to be used as a shelter for protesters who had clashed with the police, would pay for their stance once the protests were over. The Koç business group owns both Divan Hotel and TÜPRAŞ.

The recent raid on Kaynak Holding has led to fresh questions over the nature of the sudden government interest in these companies. Critics of the government have alleged that it is using all the tools at its disposal to punish opponents and rival businesses.

In one example of using his political clout to “punish” the movement, Erdoğan urged his followers not to send their children to the schools and institutions run by the Hizmet movement or to buy its newspapers. Erdoğan’s aides have separately called on Justice and Development Party (AK Party) followers to boycott companies and a participation bank that are close to the movement.

Source: Todays Zaman , May 9, 2014


Related News

Pakistan Today Editorial: The Turkish connection and Turkish schools

Surely nobody at the joint session really believed Mr Erdogan’s warning about the threat the so called Gullen Network presents Pakistan. No doubt the Turkish president really believes the Network – which ran schools here till just before his visit – is just as dangerous for Pakistan as al Qaeda, etc.

Peshawar High Court Restrains Federal Government From Deporting Turkish Teachers Of Pak-Turk School Till Dec 1

The petitioners submitted before the court that Pak-Turk schools had been imparting quality education to hundreds of Pakistani children. They said that the forced deportation of Turkish teachers and other staff members was illegal as they had been provided protection under the Constitution.

Exiled Turkish Leader Gulen Slams Erdogan for Coup Attempt in Report

A coup attempt in Turkey last July that killed more than 300 people was an “outrageous, heinous scenario constructed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his accomplices,” Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen said this week.

AK Party government removing critical voices from state bodies

Many bureaucrats who are just doing their jobs and have no affiliation with any political groups now face [the prospect of] being dismissed with a claim of having links to the Hizmet movement. However, it is widely known that many of the bureaucrats discharged from their posts do not have any links with the movement,” Arslan said.

Arbitrary intrusions and dangerous liaisons

If the AKP leader can publicize the mistakes made during the Sledgehammer and Ergenekon trials and convince the public that these were committed by overzealous prosecutors linked to the Gülen movement, it will be easy for him to make a comparison with the corruption allegations against his government.

History of politically motivated assault on Bank Asya

The politically motivated operation aimed at taking over Bank Asya is one that has unfolded step by step, marked by public statements from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as well as other top Justice and Development Party (AK Party) officials.

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

Beating ‘domestic enemies’ in the game of ‘advanced’ democracy

Candidates on ‘red list’ denied jobs despite high test scores, Taraf reports

Report: Erdoğan’s anti-Turkish school rhetoric damages Turkish-African ties

Nigeria Gives 7-Day Ultimatum to Turkish Government to Release Over 50 Nigerian Students Held in Detention

Documents reveal how military carried out campaign against the Gulen [Hizmet] movement

Pro-Gov’t Columnist Suggests Setting Turkey’s Silivri Prison Ablaze To Kill Inmates From Gülen Movement

Rubin says Gülen’s extradition would convince Erdoğan that blackmail works

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News