Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has strongly condemned an attack on a French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, and a series of shootings in Paris suburbs last week that left 17 dead, extending condolences to the families of the victims.
Gülen, who has been a clear voice in rejecting violence and terrorism, said in a statement on Wednesday that these revolting acts of terrorism are deplorable and that they serve no purpose but to bring about “destruction, sorrow and grief.”
“I reiterate my condemnation of all forms of terror regardless of its perpetrators or their stated purposes,” said the statement, published on behalf of Gülen by the New York-based Alliance for Shared Values.
The Islamic scholar said he shares his deep condolences with the victims’ families, loved ones and the people of France.
Gülen also extended his condolences to the victims of other recent terrorist attacks, including those in Turkey, Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. He urged world leaders to show sensitivity for lives lost in unspeakable tragedies, no matter where they occur.
Turkey has been witnessing a rigorous debate for the last couple of weeks over the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) vow to finish off the test prep schools, which are a source of both money and influence for its old ally, the Hizmet Movement led by the self-exiled leader, Fethullah Gülen. Like many controversies in Turkey, the issue of closing the courses and integrating them into Turkey’s poorly-established and -organized education system was not only about the prep schools, which was only the tip of the iceberg.
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