Erdogan at UN urges global action against preacher
Date posted: September 20, 2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday demanded international action against the US-exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom he accuses of orchestrating an aborted coup d’etat against him.
“I would like to call on all our friends to take the necessary measures against the Fethullah Terrorist Organization in their own countries for the future of their own people and their well-being,” he told the UN General Assembly, referring to Gulen’s movement.
Gulen, who fled Turkey for Pennsylvania and has been active in religious dialogue and charity, strongly denies Erdogan’s charges that he organized the July military coup attempt, which quickly collapsed.
Erdogan told the United Nations that the movement was present in 170 countries, posing a “national security threat” to all of them.
“This terrorist organization is in a deep mental heresy of subduing the whole world, far beyond Turkey,” he said.
“It is evident from our experience that if you do not fight against FETO now, tomorrow may be too late,” he said, referring to the group by an acronym.
Erdogan has pressed the United States to extradite Gulen. US Vice President Joe Biden said on a visit to Turkey that legal experts and courts would need to review evidence against the preacher.
EU denies claims of designating Gülen group as ‘terrorist org’ in report
The European Union has denied claims by the Turkish press that it has, for the first time, called the Gülen movement a ‘terrorist’ organization in its upcoming progress report slated to be published on Tuesday. A source who spoke to Ahvalnews on the condition of anonymity categorically denied claims made by Turkish media sources.
Disregard call to close Turkish schools – Proprietors tell Nigerian govt
Owners of the Nigeria Turkish International College have urged Nigeria to disregard the call by the Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Hakan Cakil, to close its schools in the country.
Turkish headmaster accused of Isis links met Malaysian PM, not fit profile of an Isis operative
Karaman, who was the principle of a prestigious international school that promotes critical thinking as well as holding his post with the Malaysian-Turkish Dialogue Society, does not fit the stereotypical profile of an Isis operative.
Gülen extends condolences for death of former deputy PM Arınç’s brother
Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who inspired the faith-based Hizmet movement, has offered condolences to former Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, whose elder brother, Yıldıray Arınç, was laid to rest on Tuesday.
Expert’s opinion: Turkey’s Demanding Extradition Of Fethullah Gülen Is Frivolous Grandstanding
Although ordinarily I respect his cool-headedness and self-control, in hindsight I wish President Obama had been equally blunt in responding to President Erdoğan’s demands that the US extradite Fethullah Gülen. All of his demands, beginning in 2014 and vigorously renewed in the wake of the July 15 attempted coup, have been completely illegitimate and unfair.
Pro-gov’t columnist claims Obama could be Gülen’s White House ‘imam’
Mehmet Barlas, a columnist from the pro-government Sabah daily who is known as a staunch supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claimed in his column on Wednesday that US President Barack Obama could be an “imam” of the faith-based Gülen movement in Washington.
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
Romania hosts 12th International Language and Culture Festival finals
International Festival of Language and Culture 2016
Gülen’s lawyers slam Erdoğan’s ‘slanderous’ unsolved murders remarks
Peacebuilders Conference
Trip to Turkey leaves a lasting impression
Neither Erdoğan nor EU the same after five years
Afghan leaders: Increase in Turkish schools would help bring about peace