Pro-gov’t columnist claims Obama could be Gülen’s White House ‘imam’


Date posted: October 20, 2016

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.

“Does not the question ‘Could Obama be the imam of FETÖ supporters in Washington?’pop into your mind from time to time? Since his [Obama] father is from Kenya, might not this family have been influenced by FETÖ’s activities in Africa?” wrote Barlas.

FETÖ, which stands for Fethullahist Terror Organization, is an expression coined by the Turkish government to refer to the Gülen movement. In the context of Barlas’s article, an imam does not indicate an official imam but a representative acting in the name of the movement.

The Turkish government, which has been waging an all-out war against the Gülen movement following the eruption of a corruption scandal in late 2013 in which senior government members were implicated, carried its war to new levels after a failed military coup attempt on July 15.

Although the Gülen movement strongly denies having any role in the putsch or the corruption investigations, the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accuse it of having masterminded both the coup and the corruption investigations, a claim not backed up by evidence.

Despite the fact that the government refers to the movement as a terrorist organization, a high criminal court in Hatay province in Turkey’s south in early October rejected an indictment on alleged members of FETÖ, saying that there is no such terrorist organization officially identified.

Barlas said the reason for the emergence of such a suspicion is the policy pursued by Obama. He said Obama is acting as if Turkey is not a NATO ally and is instead an enemy country, and he is standing behind Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic cleric who lives in Pennsylvania and inspired the Gülen movement with his teachings, “under a judicial pretext.”

The Turkish government has been asking the US to extradite Gülen; however, US officials have reiterated that such a decision can only be made by a US court based on concrete evidence.

Source: Turkish Minute , October 19, 2016

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

On the mysterious deportations of Turkish teachers

Built over a decade ago, Lahore PakTurk International School has a state-of-the-art building with an indoor Futsal court and an auditorium that can accommodate 500 students. In 2006, General Pervez Musharraf conferred a civilian award on the PakTurk International Schools and Colleges, recognising their services to Pakistan.

President Gul says debates over prep schools should not lead to ‘resentment’

Turkish President Abdullah Gül has said ongoing debates over a recent controversy over the government’s move to shut down prep schools should not lead to “resentment.” The government’s plan to ban private tutoring institutions that train students for high school and university entrance exams has divided society and led to fear among some segments of the public that socioeconomic differences may further affect students’ academic achievement after the closure.

Sacked Turkish professor applies to employment organization

As the government has launched a sweeping campaign to eliminate any employees, be they public servants or academics, that it suspects of having links with Hizmet from state institutions, Özsoy said the purge is not restricted to state universities. It now includes private universities, too.

Unimpressed by Turkish ‘parallel structure’ defense, MEPs approve critical report

A EP committee has approved a report on Turkey that criticizes the government’s handling of a corruption investigation, despite a last-minute letter from the Turkish government claiming that a set of controversial measures taken in the wake of the probe were designed to fight a “parallel structure” within the state.

Plan to finish off the Hizmet movement

It seems that some groups have planned to finish off the Hizmet movement, which was inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, and start a conflict between the movement and the ruling AK Party.

Vision-impaired journalist, under arrest for 7 months, denied access to Braille books in prison

Visually impaired Turkish journalist Cüneyt Arat, under arrest over alleged ties to the Gulen movement since July, last year, has said in a letter that he was denied access to Braille books as well as audio-described movies.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Feud between Turkey’s Erdogan and influential cleric goes public

Filipino ambassador hails Turkish schools

Criminal complaint filed against media organizations publishing Gülen’s speeches

Row between Turkish government and Gülen movement heats up with new document

Ishik University To Educate Students About the Threats of [the so-called] Islamic State

Erdogan’s persecution: Mother with infant under arrest until husband surrenders self

Turkey’s Erdogan exploiting failed coup to crush dissent, tighten grip on power

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News