Germany takes Gülenists off watch list, conducts counterespionage against Ankara – report


Date posted: October 30, 2018

German police have removed the Gülen movement, which Ankara designates a terrorist organisation, from its ‘dangerous’ and ‘to be followed’ watch list, Sözcü newspaper reported, citing a domestic security report from the  country’s Southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Germany is home to exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen-backed institutions and  a sizeable Gulenist community, which the Turkish government has accused of orchestrating the failed coup in July 2016 and consequently began an international crackdown on.

The report noted that the country’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has also placed Turkey in the same category as Russia, China and Iran, which Berlin sees as political rivals, noting they are conducting counterespionage against Ankara.

The report stressed that Turkey is not only targeting Gülentists in Turkey, but in Germany, too, without referring to the Gülen movement as a terrorist organisation.

The report stressed that Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has asked for members of the Gülen movement to be turned over more than 100 times and reported 40 Gülen-affiliated institutions to Turkish officials, while stressing that German officials have not caved into pressure from Turkish diplomats on the matter.

While noting that state officials themselves followed closely Gülenist activities in 2014, the report pointed to large increase in MİT activities targeting members in the state of Baden Württemberg.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told  reporters earlier this month that Ankara has given a list of 136 people who are allegedly linked to terrorist organisations to Berlin during his state visit to Germany on Sept. 28-29, while Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany needed more evidence if it was to class the movement of Gülen as terrorist.

Source: Ahval , October 27, 2018


Related News

An NBA Center Faces Imprisonment And Possible Execution In Turkey

Normally, the Oklahoma City Thunder would be trying to find a replacement for Kevin Durant, or figure out how to get past the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets. They probably didn’t expect they’d have to struggle to keep their center Enes Kanter from being jailed and possibly executed in Turkey by an increasingly authoritarian leader.

With Husband Already In Jail, Woman Along With Two Children Detained In Post-Coup Witch Hunt

Nearly seven months after former public worker B.K. was arrested, his wife and two children were also detained as part of a government witch hunt against the Gülen movement. She is also diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Lawyer: Gülen will appeal court decision to cancel his green passport

Nurullah Albayrak, lawyer for Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, said his client will appeal a Council of State ruling that Gülen’s green passport was obtained illegally.

Turks threatened over alleged links to the Gülen movement find a safe haven in Greece

When thousands of Turkish citizens lost their jobs or were jailed over suspected links to the Islamist Gülen movement, they chose self-exile to escape persecution.

Turkish govt has declared war on us, Nigerian student cries out from hiding

Nigerian students in Turkey are in hiding following the government’s crackdown on them. “We are scared of leaving our rooms for fear of being arrested and charged with terrorism, or deported. Most of us are in our final year. What do we do?” students said.

GYV hosts guests from Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarchate at Abraham’s table

Armenian Co-Patriarch Aram Ateshian: “Orthodox Armenian Patriarchate hasn’t been recognized as a legal entity yet.” The gathering’s host, Journalists and Writers Foundation President Mustafa Yesil said, “Peace was established even on the ashes of a war in Europe that left 50 million dead. The 1915 incidents and sorrows shouldn’t hinder the establishment of peace.”

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

Yet another woman detained due to Gülen links shortly after delivery

Kimse Yok Mu humanitarian aid organization makes it to top 100 NGOs

Fethullah Gulen’s new book “The Struggle for Renewal” sold 200,000 in 20 days

That is Why the Turkish Government could Pay 1 Billion Euros

Turkish students win most awards at int’l math contest

The AKP-Israeli thaw

Opposition, diplomats slam gov’t attempt to shut down Turkish schools

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News