A reality check on [Turkey coup attempt] from America’s spy chief
Date posted: July 22, 2016
David Ignatius
America’s top spymaster offered contrarian assessments of some key issues: warning against “hyping” the threat posed by the Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate (terrorist group) Jabhat al-Nusra, cautioning against Obama administration plans to share intelligence with Russia on Syrian targets and questioning Turkish claims that last Friday’s coup attempt was organized by a cleric living in the United States.
Asked whether Turkish allegations that cleric Fethullah Gulen planned the attempted coup passed the “smell test” of credibility,National Intelligence Director James Clapper answered: “No. Not to me.” He said that Secretary of State John F. Kerry “was right on the ball” to press the Turks to back up their extradition request with evidence of Gulen’s involvement. “We haven’t seen it yet. We certainly haven’t seen it in intel.”
The coup attempt “complicates the Syria situation, because a lot of the people purged were key interlocutors with the U.S.” against the Islamic State, such as the Incirlik air base commander , he said. “This is going to set back [counterterrorism] in general, because the Turks are going to be consumed with this and its implications.” Clapper said that in this period of uncertainty, “it’s vital that the Turks stay in NATO.”
İstanbul Transportation Authority cancels bus line to Fatih University
Amid growing examples of discrimination against the Hizmet movement, the İstanbul Transportation Authority (İETT) canceled one bus line to Fatih University, which is considered to be affiliated with the Hizmet movement. An official from İETT, İsmihan Şimşek talked to Today’s Zaman and admitted that the 76F bus line had been canceled, but dismissed the idea that the decision deliberately targeted Fatih University. According to her, following analysis of demand for bus services in the region, the 76F bus line was discontinued while two other lines, HT18 and 418, continue to run with stops at Fatih University.
Islam’s internal enemies
Caliph Omar, who is renowned for his attention to justice, paid a visit to sacred sites after taking over control of Jerusalem from Governor Sophronius. He visited Masjid al Aqsa and later also wanted to see the Church of Resurrection where, according to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified and prepared for burial. Sophronius, who was walking with Omar, recalled that he performed prayers everywhere he visited and asked him to do the same at the church. Omar rejected the request saying, “If I perform prayer here, Muslims will build a mosque on this very spot.” Instead he found an empty area to the south of the church for prayer, upon which Muslims thereafter erected a mosque named after Omar.
Turkish experts and doctors seek asylum in Greece
A group of 33 Turks, including academics, doctors and civil servants, are seeking political asylum in Greece for fear of persecution at home. The group is believed to be supporters of the Hizmet movement, led by the US-based cleric Fethullah Gülen.
Feud between Turkey’s Erdogan and influential cleric goes public
A feud between Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and an influential Islamic cleric has spilled into the open months ahead of elections, highlighting fractures in the religiously conservative support base underpinning his decade in power. The reclusive cleric drew parallels with the behavior of the secularist military in the build up to past coups.
‘Turkey using political rather than legal pressure against US to get Gulen extradited’
President Erdogan needs a victory so he can prove to the public and supporters that Fethullah Gulen was behind the failed coup and therefore get him extradited, says Ibrahim Dogus, the founder of the Center for Turkey Studies in London.
Lessons from Dec. 17: Who is parallel?
To prove whether the Gülen movement has a parallel structure , one has to establish that the investigations and wiretappings were not conducted within the scope of a legal investigation. If that is proven, one has to demonstrate that the police and prosecutors in charge of the investigations were receiving instructions not from the state but from sources within the movement. Both of these claims have to be proven with evidence.
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