EU anti-terror chief: Gülen network not terrorist organization

European counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove | Julien Warnard/EPA
European counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove | Julien Warnard/EPA


Date posted: November 30, 2017

GINGER HERVEY

The EU doesn’t believe Fethullah Gülen’s network is a terrorist organization and is not “likely to change its position soon,” the bloc’s counter-terrorism coordinator told Reuters in an interview published Thursday.

Gilles de Kerchove said the EU would need “substantive” evidence to change its mind on the network of the cleric Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blames for masterminding a coup against his government last year.

Around 50,000 people have been detained and 150,000 suspended in Turkey because they are alleged to be linked to Gülen’s network, with the EU as well as countries including Germany and the U.S. raising concerns about the mass arrests.

Kerchove said that before someone is arrested, “concrete substantive data which shows that they were involved” must be obtained.

Gülen, who denies being behind the failed coup, has been based in the United States since 1999. Turkey has unsuccessfully fought for his extradition since the attempt to depose Erdoğan, but the U.S. has refused, saying it needs more evidence. Turkey has also sought to extradite others with alleged links to the cleric from EU countries.

“The decision on extradition is in the hands of all member states, and most of the time the judiciary, the independent judiciary, and they need hard evidence,” Kerchove said.

Source: Politico , November 30, 2017


Related News

Gülen sees peace wherever Huntington sees clash

ALİ İHSAN AYDIN On the last day of a conference titled “The Changing Islamic World: Contributions of the Fethullah Gülen Movement” held in London, Gülen’s interfaith and inter-cultural dialogue activities were discussed. During the discussions, it was strongly stressed that Gülen opposed the “clash of civilizations” thesis through dialogue endeavors launched years ago. American academic […]

The Guardian view on the week in Turkey: coup – and counter-coup?

Now, with the European convention on human rights suspended and a six-month state of emergency that allows President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to rule without parliament – although thousands still turn out nightly in his support – some are beginning to wonder if the cure has turned out to be little better than the original threat.

İstanbul’s global summit secures deals worth millions

İPEK ÜZÜM/ARİF BAYRAKTAR, İSTANBUL A global trade and investment summit organized by the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) in İstanbul has seen companies from around the globe ink deals worth millions of dollars in construction and furniture. The Turkey-World Trade Bridge summit, which kicked off on Wednesday, continued with business-to-business (B2B) meetings between […]

Political thunder from Turkey rumbles all the way to New Orleans

And how appalling that they should now be exposed to the atrocious anti-Muslim diatribes of a U.S. presidential candidate not all that different from Erdogan in his threats and his bigotry.

Tunisia was able to make constitution because of concessions of all parties

The Hizmet movement “revives civil society in a modern state,” he says, as he emphasizes that the movement also adheres to the values of the Muslim world. “Having Hizmet is very important for the Turkish state. It will help the state to renew its values,” the Tunisian politician comments.

Don’t draw us into your family fight: Washington

The United States has told Ankara it has no any intention of getting involved into what it calls “a family fight,” denying conspiracy theories suggesting Washington’s role in the ongoing struggle between the government and the powerful Gülen community that has exploded with a new corruption probe. “Please don’t draw us into your family fight here. We don’t want one side or the other to feed this conspiracy idea that we are against the prime minister or against Fethullah Gülen Hocaefendi,”

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

Strategic Defamation of Fethullah Gülen

Turkish Schools Offer Pakistan a Gentler Vision of Islam

The real wretch

Turkey’s Fading Democracy

Yet another Turkish school inaugurated in Nigeria

Had the Kurds believed in Said-i Kurdi, their children wouldn’t have died

Panel on Middle East perspectives held at Ishik University

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News