Is There ‘The Cemaat’ Under Every Stone?

Cuneyt Ozdemir
Cuneyt Ozdemir


Date posted: February 9, 2012

Cuneyt Ozdemir

Nazli Ilıcak, the author of “Is There The Cemaat Under Every Stone?”,  queries our new bogeyman, the Cemaat (also known as the Hizmet or Gulen Movement), and determines the reasons lying underneath this fear with concrete evidence.

Ilıcak kindly sent me an autographed copy of her book, which was so intriguing that I read it all in one shot. The core of the book focuses itself on the counter-arguments, which come to the defense of the followers of Gulen Movement, criticized of harboring hidden agendas. The writing style is concise, forward and factual—every line of the text is supported by documentation. The book starts off with quotations from the Gulen Movement’s skeptical opponents, then disproves each assertion with official documents, interviews and other concrete verification.

Divided into two chapters, Ilıcak’s book covers the claims of the Ergenekon lawsuit, Hanefi Avci’s book, the documents discovered at ODA TV and the answers given to Nedim Sener. The most interesting part in the first chapter, in my opinion, is the way in which she disproves the allegations against Ali Fuat Yilmazer, the intelligence officer who played a key role in the Ergenekon case. The second chapter of the book includes the prosecution of Fethullah Gulen and the subsequent interviews with him.

Ilıcak reaches her conclusions based on fact, using interviews, official documents, interviews and other hard evidence to make her point. Her book is a valuable source of information, especially for those who have only read texts from Fethullah Gulen’s opponents. In understanding an issue, it’s imperative to hear both sides of the story. This book does just that, while answering the call of those who search for the Cemaat under every stone.

* “under every stone” is a Turkish expression meaning “behind every crime or misdeed”

Note: Mr. Cuneyt Ozdemir’s column is longer and discussing other issues as well. We translated only the paragraphs related to the Hizmet Movement.

Disclaimer: The original article is in Turkish. Slight deviations from the original meaning may have occurred due to difficulties in translating phrases and idioms. PII volunteers translated the article.

Source: Radikal Newspaper , January 22, 2012

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Turkey coup attempt: Number of people detained passes 26,000 amid international concern over crackdown

Turkish authorities are arresting people for links to the Gulen movement, which denies involvement. The number of people detained by Turkish authorities following the failed coup to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has passed 26,000.

Emotional farewell for Turkish teachers

The students, who have been groomed and educated by the Turkish teachers at the PakTurk schools, seem down in the dumps since word about their mentors’ departure got round. The teachers are scheduled to leave Pakistan in the coming week following the government’s deadline.

Turkish officers speak: Erdogan may have staged coup

So, if Erdogan’s narrative is flawed, what are the alternative theories? On the surface, much doesn’t add up. Now, several career Turkish military officers — none of whom are followers or supporters of Gülen — have compiled from open sources a lengthy report analyzing the coup. They have authorized me to share the Dropbox link where they have made it accessible.

Interview: U.S. Judge Says Turkey’s Judiciary ‘Taken Over’ By Erdogan

Even before the coup attempt in July, the judiciary was being essentially taken over by [then] PM Tayyip Erdogan. When the attempted coup occurred in July, within 24 hours there were arrest warrants for almost 3,000 judges. And it’s very clear, and in fact it’s been admitted by the deputy chair of the High Council [of Judges and Prosecutors, the body that selects and assigns judges], that that list of judges had existed for years.

The Gülen movement as the victim of an orchestrated smear campaign

When the Justice and Development Party (AKP) took office in 2002 under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the party’s commitment to democratization was promising. As many political scientists agreed, the first years of AKP rule were a success story, and that was why, with its secular multi-party democracy and its Muslim character, Turkey had emerged as a role model for the Muslim world.

Exit strategy for the AKP

Hizmet’s Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) reiterated last month, the AKP must, as soon as possible, start working towards EU reforms, the establishment of a fully democratic Turkey, the establishment of the rule of law, the most advanced fundamental rights and freedoms, equality of all before the law, a civilian constitution and a transparent state that can be held accountable.

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

Bradley Hawkins on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Out of the rubble, a chance to mend relations

Rounding up the ISIS collaborators, in Turkey and Kurdistan

Turks See Purge as Witch Hunt of ‘Medieval’ Darkness

Excitement of Turkish Olympiads felt in Ethiopia

Kimse Yok Mu reaches out to Syrians in joint project with UNHCR

Hizmet Essay Contest 2015

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News