Saudi journalist with links to king visits Erdogan rival Gulen


Date posted: August 1, 2017

A renowned Saudi journalist visited US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen at his home in Pennsylvania last week, in a show of solidarity with the man accused by Turkey of instigating the failed 15 July coup.

In a post on Instagram, publisher of the London-based Elaph news site Othman al-Omeir, who is known for having strong relations with Saudi King Salman, told his followers that he was excited to be meeting such “an influential person in the Middle East” in reference to Gulen.

Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan accuses Gulen of orchestrating 2016 July’s attempted coup, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and fighter jets, bombing parliament and trying to abduct or kill Erdogan. More than 240 people were killed in the violence.

The reclusive preacher, who lives in a tiny town in the Pocono mountains of the US state of Pennsylvania, denies having any role in the putsch and said at the time that he condemned the coup “in the strongest terms”.

Following the visit, Omeir said in tweet: “I spent four hours in the home of the Turkish Islamic leader Fethullah Gulen in Pennsylvania.

“We had a very interesting discussion, here in his simple bedroom where we can see placed around him books and a copy of Quran.”

Omeir published a short video of himself and Gulen standing with the Turkish flag in the background.

Commenting on the video, Omeir said he preferred to stand next to the Turkish flag because “Gulen is not a religious leader, but an influential nationalist in Turkey.”

No details of the interview were published afterwards, however.

Social media users wondered whether Saudi Arabia was sending an implicit message to Turkey through Omeir’s visit.

Translation: Does this visit have anything to do with the weakening of ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia?

Translation: Othman al-Omeir (known for being close to the palace) visits Gulen, the man behind the failed coup. A clear message from Salman to Turkey.

Translation: Othman al-Omeir’s visit to Gulen, a man close to the UAE, bolsters accusations that the UAE was behind the coup in Turkey.

A Turkish journalist known for his close ties to the government accused the UAE in June of channelling around $3bn to coup plotters. Mehmet Acet, the Ankara bureau chief of pro-government broadcaster Kanal 7, based his claims on remarks attributed to the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, about six months ago at an invitation-only panel in Istanbul.

Ankara has stood in support of Qatar during the escalating Gulf crisis, rejecting Saudi demands to close a Turkish military base in the emirate.

On 5 June, Saudi Arabia and the UAE led a severing of all links with Qatar for allegedly supporting groups, including some backed by Iran, “that aim to destabilise the region”. Egypt, Bahrain and other allies followed.

Source: Middle East Eye , July 31, 2017

Tags: | | |


Related News

It’s clear that deportation of three Turks is to please Turkey’s president

If the three Turks are supporters of Gulen, then there is no case for Malaysia. Gulen is not a terrorist but merely a powerful thorn on the side of the Turkish dictator Tayyip Erdogan. Just because the three opposed the government of Erdogan was not sufficient reason for Malaysia to arrest and deport them. Malaysia is merely doing the “dirty” job for Erdogan.

29-Year-Old Judge, A Victim Of Post-Coup Witch Hunt, Dies In Prison

“Mehmet Tosun, 29 year-old, a judge of Council of State. Dismissed with a decree, arrested, got sick in prison, died yesterday, buried today,” Hüseyin Aygün, a former deputy of the main opposition People’s Republican Party (CHP), tweeted on Tuesday.

Public ad budget unfairly allocated to pro-gov’t media

Separate sources have suggested that several public institutions prefer pro-government dailies and TV stations over other media, an initiative that follows Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statements about “the opposition that cooperates with an international conspiracy seeking to topple the government.”

Thousands in anti-corruption protests; Erdoğan defiant

Thousands took to the streets of İstanbul on Sunday to protest against the government over a corruption scandal that has led to multiple arrests, including sons of two ministers and general manager of the state-run Halkbank.
Twenty-four people, including the sons of two ministers and the head of state-owned Halkbank, have been formally charged in connection with the corruption inquiry that Erdoğan has called a “dirty operation” to undermine his rule.

5-months pregnant woman detained as police fail to locate husband

A woman, identified as B.D. was detained after police failed to locate her husband as part an investigation in to the Gulen movement, media reported Saturday.

Fethullah Gulen: Killing of Russian envoy ‘heinous act’

U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen on Monday condemned the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey as a “heinous act of terror” and urged the Turkish government to identify anyone who aided the gunman.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

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

In Case You Missed It

A solid step in Gulen movement Alevite community dialogue: Mosque-cemevi-soup kitchen project

Graduation ceremony held in Turkish schools in Senegal

Freedom comes with a price

A useful guide to understanding the Hizmet-AK Party tension

Cihan TV network celebrates 10th birthday

Executives of TUSKON call on Ghana GCCI

Turkish Schools and Fethullah Gulen

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News