Kalashnikov-carrying police raid Gülen-inspired girls’ dormitory


Date posted: September 30, 2015

Police officers carrying Kalashnikov rifles conducted a raid at a girls’ school dormitory in eastern Van province on Sunday, a move that is seen as part of an ongoing government-orchestrated operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement.

According to the news website merkurhaber.com, the raid on the Private Azimet Secondary School girls’ dormitory was based on claims that the school had collected the hides of animals sacrificed during the Eid al-Adha holiday, and was carried out by police officers from the local anti-smuggling and organized crime bureau at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday under the leadership of Van Province Police Commissioner Ateş Taflı. Despite having been asked for yet failing to present a search warrant, police officers conducted a search of the dining hall, accompanied by attorneys representing the dormitory. At the conclusion of the search, the officers reported, “No evidence of illegal activity was detected with regard to the dormitory.” The police officers left the school around 5:30 p.m.

A recent government circular sent to police departments across Turkey told police to seize the hides of any animals sacrificed during the Eid al-Adha holiday collected on behalf of the “Fethullah Gülen terrorist organization” (FETÖ) — a derogatory term President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his political associates use to disparage the faith-based Gülen movement, a civil society organization.

During the Eid al-Adha holiday, millions of Muslims slaughter animals as a reminder of the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to God as an act of obedience and submission. The meat, offal and hides of more than 2.6 million animals — including cattle, sheep and goats – that are sacrificed across Turkey during Eid al-Adha, create a TL 10 billion market.

The raid is seen as part of a nationwide crackdown on institutions and individuals sympathetic to the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. While serving as prime minister, Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of plotting to overthrow his government and in May 2014 Erdoğan said he would carry out a “witch hunt” against anyone with links to the movement. Erdoğan has also ordered officials in Justice and Development Party (AK Party)-run municipalities to seize land and buildings belonging to the Gülen movement by any means necessary. The movement strongly rejects the allegations and no indictment has been brought against it.

Source: Today's Zaman , September 29, 2015


Related News

Thousands Are In Turkish Prisons For Downloading This App

The government announced that at least 250,000 people downloaded ByLock on their cell phones. Even tracking this number is a violation of the law, but… oh well, who cares, right? More than 40,000 of these people worked in public institutions and suspected of being sympathizers of the Gulen movement.

Jailed Zaman editor says we are journalists, not terrorists

Former Zaman daily Ankara Representative Mustafa Ünal, who is standing trial after 414 days in pretrial detention, said on Monday that he and other colleagues in the same case are journalists, not terrorists.

Education remains an alarming concern for scores of Syrian refugees

The topic of providing education to the Syrian refugee children was recently addressed by a meeting hosted by Kimse Yok Mu, the Journalist and Writers Foundation and the Peace Islands Institute (PII) in a panel held at the United Nations in New York.

Lawyer: Gülen will appeal court decision to cancel his green passport

Nurullah Albayrak, lawyer for Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, said his client will appeal a Council of State ruling that Gülen’s green passport was obtained illegally.

Turks caught up in Gulenists crackdown seek justice

When she returned to her old school to pick up some papers after being suspended, the religious affairs teacher from the Turkish town of Adapazari was braced for some awkward glances. But she was not prepared to be treated as an outcast by colleagues of eight years’ standing. “They wouldn’t even look at me,” says the mother-of-three, dabbing her cheek with a tissue. “It was as if I was a terrorist.”

Minister says Pak-Turk schools won’t be closed down

Karachi—Sindh Education minister Jam Mehtab Dhahar has assured a Turkish team Tuesday that Pak-Turkish schools will not be closed down in Sindh or anywhere in Pakistan. They gave the assurance to the visiting Turkish team during meeting in Karachi, with the Turkish officials, here on a tour.

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

What is wrong with independent journalism?

Gülen: The Ambiguous Politics of Market Islam in Turkey and the World

Conspiracy theory par excellence [against Gülen movement]

Brazilian Intellectuals and Artists Defend Turk against Demands for Extradition to Turkey

Turkish volunteer doctors build bridges between Tanzania and Turkey

Minister Çelik supports Gülen’s call for Alevi-Sunni brotherhood

Antioch came together over Iftar

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News