German spy agency chief says does not believe Gulen behind Turkey coup attempt

Bruno Kahl, new President of the German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND), speaks during his inauguration at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, July 6, 2016. Bundesregierung/Guido Bergmann
Bruno Kahl, new President of the German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND), speaks during his inauguration at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, July 6, 2016. Bundesregierung/Guido Bergmann


Date posted: March 19, 2017

The Turkish government has failed to convince Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency that U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen was behind last summer’s failed coup in Turkey, the BND head told a German magazine.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government accuse Gulen of orchestrating Turkey’s failed coup on July 15 in which more than 240 people were killed when rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, warplanes and helicopters, attacking parliament and attempting to overthrow the government..

“Turkey has tried to convince us of that at every level but so far it has not succeeded,” BND head Bruno Kahl said in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel published on Saturday.

Erdogan and the Turkish government want the United States to extradite Gulen, who denies involvement in the coup attempt.

Asked whether the Gulen movement was extreme Islamist or terrorist, Kahl said it was a “civil association that aims to provide further religious and secular education”.

Kahl also said he did not think the Turkish government was behind the coup, saying: “The coup attempt was not initiated by the government. Before July 15 the government had already started a big purge so parts of the military thought they should do a coup quickly before it hit them too.”

(Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Dale Hudson)

Source: Reuters , March 19, 2017

Tags: | | | | | |


Related News

Pro-gov’t daily repeats Bharara controlled by Gülen movement, calls him ‘stupid’

One of the staunchly pro-government newspapers in Turkey, the Star, daily has repeated earlier claims about a US attorney, saying that he is controlled by the faith-based Gülen movement and “stupid.”

Turkey: Erdogan’s macabre dance in Africa

What is the sense in advocating for the transfer of investments of private individuals to a government backed NGO? Is President Erdogan indirectly telling African leaders that his empire in Turkey extends to African countries hence the outrageous demand? From the preceding, it is clear that President Erdogan has little or no respect for African nations hence this anomaly. I also beg to state here that the politics of Turkey should be left in Turkey.

From ‘parallel state’ to ‘terrorist organization’: Dissecting Erdoğan’s labeling of Gülen

Yet more than three years since the public feud between Erdoğan and Gülen began, the allegations against the Gülen movement of infiltrating the state, plotting coups, and proselytizing students through its schools still rest on speculation.

Was there a sincere alliance between the Gulen Movement and Erdogan?

NRT correspondent Huner Anwer interviews Fethullah Gulen in his Pennsylvania residence ask the crucial question on alliance between the Gulen Movement and Erdogan. Gulen says, briefly, there has never been sincere alliance between them but the movement supported Erdogan as long as Erdogan stayed in line with democratic values and honored rule of law.

Gulen Movement And Transparency

The transparency of the Hizmet or Gülen Movement has long been a theme of various critics – writers, intellectuals and politicians. In the context of Turkey where secularism is deployed as a means to control religion rather than to separate it from politics, it is not hard to understand why this theme has been so popular.

Already feeling unsafe in Turkey

Erdogan’s honor overrode freedom of speech in Turkey and Mahir got deported because of a simple allegation — that he’d posted critical tweets that targeted Turkey. No, no — I mean Erdoğan’s Turkey.

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

Retired public servant under custody for distributing donations to post-coup victims

Kimse Yok Mu and MASFED to open hospital in Ethiopia

Slanders against Hizmet Movement at highest level, which offends Anatolians

Islam’s need for enlightenment

Fighting poverty, ignorance and disunity in Ghana; the TUDEC experience

German government says Gülen movement not involved in any illegal acts

AKP: What is next?

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News