Gulen says he is certain Erdogan behind failed Turkey coup


Date posted: September 29, 2016

Michelle Martin and Humeyra Pamuk

BERLIN (Reuters) U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkish authorities accuse of orchestrating a failed coup in July, told a German newspaper that he was sure President Tayyip Erdogan was behind the putsch.

Gulen said in an interview with the weekly Die Zeit that the military coup attempt betrayed the principles of the Turkish government and his global movement called “Hizmet.” He pointed to Erdogan’s comments that the July 15 putsch was a “gift from God” because it would allow the army to be cleansed.

Asked if he was suggesting that Erdogan was behind the coup, Gulen said: “Until now I only thought that was a possibility. Now I think it’s certain.”

Gulen said a Turkish officer had recently said that the chief of general staff and the intelligence chief met in the army headquarters during the night of the coup, adding: “They already knew everything that would happen later.”

Exactly how events unfolded on the night of the coup has yet to be fully uncovered but Erdogan has repeatedly complained of what he described as an intelligence failure, saying he found out about the putsch only from his brother-in-law.

Turkish officials have said an informant who came to Turkey’s national intelligence agency provided the tip-off on the coup. The head of the armed forces, along with several other senior commanders, were abducted by the putschists.

Gulen said the coup gave Erdogan the opportunity to dismiss thousands of perceived opponents in ministries, the military, police and judiciary authorities as well as to arrest lawyers, business people, journalists and wives of Gulen supporters, and added that this must have been planned in advance.

In the post-coup crackdown, some 100,000 people in the police, civil service, military and judiciary have been sacked or suspended. Another 40,000 people have been detained.

Turkish officials have said Ankara’s intelligence agency had already been trackingGulenfollowers well before the coup attempt and had identified many figures previously.

Gulen distanced himself from Erdogan, saying they had only met a few times before Erdogan became prime minister in 2003.

“Neither my friends nor I were close to Erdogan ourselves, even if that is being claimed,” he told Die Zeit.

The Hizmet movement once backed Erdogan because when he founded the AK Party he promised democracy and stronger human rights as well as to limit the military’s political power, Gulen said. But, he said, Erdogan broke his promises after the 2011 election.

Turkey wants the United States to extradite Gulen and prosecute him on charges he masterminded the attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen denies any involvement. Washington has said it is cooperating with Ankara on the matter and asked for patience as it processes the extradition request for Gulen to meet U.S. legal requirements.

Gulen also told Die Zeit he did not think the United States would extradite him to Turkey but said that if it did decide to hand him over, he would buy himself a ticket and fly there.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin in Berlin and Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul)

Source: Religion News Service , September 29, 2016


Related News

‘Fethullah Gulen Might Return to Turkey on This Condition’

Will Fethullah Gulen, who currently resides in the US, return to Turkey? One active figure of the Hizmet movement, Cemal Usak, who serves as the Vice President of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, answered this highly speculated question. Vice President of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF), Cemal Usak, stated that Gulen may return to […]

Another woman faces detention just after giving birth: opposition deputy

Turkish police are waiting at Balıkesir Sevgi Hospital to detain M.A., who just gave birth by cesarean section, over alleged links to Turkey’s Gülen group, an opposition deputy tweeted on Saturday.

AK Party’s ’parallel’ election campaign

In Turkey, the term “pool media” refers to the pro-government media outlets which were created through funds raised by various businessmen to protect the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) interests.

Erdogan advisor likens Turkey purge to Aborigine, Native American, Armenian cases

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s chief advisor, Mehmet Uçum, has said the Turkish state can apologize to the victims of a post-coup era purge and witch-hunt targeting the faith-based Gülen movement years after the events take place, as Australia did for the Aborigines, the US did for the Native Americans and Turkey did for the Armenians.

Pro-Erdoğan journalists call for assassination of Gülen followers abroad

Journalists Cem Küçük and Fuat Uğur, who are staunch supporters of Turkey’s autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, made a call on Thursday for the assassination of the followers of the faith-based Gülen movement who are abroad during a live broadcast on TGRT news channel.

Fethullah Gulen’s message in memory of Nelson Mandela

We pay tribute to the honorable life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, who devoted himself to the principles of peace, democracy, social justice and equality. Faced with extraordinary challenges and adversity, he chose reconciliation over retaliation and, in doing so, set an example of living a more noble life.

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

Deputy claims Erdoğan prevented medical treatment of Kyrgyz president in Turkey

US Congress members reaffirm unbreakable bonds with Turks

Embrace Relief headed down to Haiti to help orphanages

Turkish-Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (TICCI) launched to promote trade

Germany’s dialogue awards find their recipients

Abant participants: Turkey needs EU support to improve its democracy

Social and Philosophical Aspects of Fethullah Gulen’s Teachings

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News