Gülen denies ‘groundless’ Stratfor claims of pressure on AK Party


Date posted: March 8, 2012

8 March 2012 / TODAYSZAMAN.COM

Well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen has denied recent media reports based on leaked e-mails from security analysis company Stratfor that said members of his movement were putting pressure on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in order to control the party. Gülen said through his lawyer Orhan Erdemli on Wednesday that the allegations are totally groundless. Turkey’s Taraf daily reported on the leaked e-mails on Wednesday.

A set of email correspondence between two colleagues at US-based intelligence agency Stratfor, which provides geopolitical analysis to paying subscribers, was released by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks as part of a massive leak of the company’s correspondence. In one of the e-mails, analyst Emre Doğru claims that there was a conflict between the AK Party and the Gülen movement.

The e-mail alleges the Gülen movement was behind the arrest of journalists Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener, arguing that the movement put pressure on the AK Party “to make these arrests.” “I discussed this with our Turkish friend who came to Austin recently. He says Gulenists want 150 MPs from AKP if [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan wants less pressure. It’s basically post-election bargaining,” he had written.

“The claims put forward in the report saying Gülen was trying to take control of the AK Party and wanted 150 deputies are groundless. Those who put forth these claims should immediately reveal what kind of evidence they have on this issue. Otherwise, it will be considered slanderer in the eyes of the public,” Erdemli said.

The lawyer’s statement also criticized the way in which the claims were reported by Taraf. “In the report, the claims were referred to as intelligence rumors. However, gossip-like correspondence between two people was presented as fact in big font on the front page. It is impossible to reconcile this situation with the principles of journalism and the report is clearly against the law. As we explained many times in the past, Mr. Gülen has been engaged in intellectual activities based on universal values such as the rule of law, human rights, democracy and dialogue throughout his life. These studies have no political aspect. These are all legal activities and are not against the law either,” he said.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/news-273651-gulen-denies-groundless-stratfor-claims-of-pressure-on-ak-party.html


Related News

Türksat removes Zaman, 3 others from ad list

Türksat withdrew its ads from three other dailies as well: Bugün, Taraf and Radikal, all of which have published articles that criticized the government’s efforts to cover up an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption claims.

Turkey jails disabled teacher after dismissing him and wife from profession

Denizli-based teacher Raşit Uzantı has been arrested days after he was dismissed from his profession along with her wife who used to work at a state hospital in Denizli. Raşit was recovering only recently from the repercussions of a brain surgery he underwent a while ago.

Turkish Deputy PM rules out ‘ill will’ against Gülen community, unveils prep school draft details

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç has announced September 2015 as the deadline for the “transformation” of private examination prep schools (dershanes) into private schools, while denying that the move represents hostility toward the “Hizmet” (Service) movement of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen. Speaking after a 7.5-hour-long Cabinet meeting on Dec. 2, Arınç also announced January 2014 […]

First female chairwoman appointed at Kimse Yok Mu

The former chairman of the Kimse Yok Mu foundation, İsmail Cingöz, announced on Friday that Ayşe Özkalay will take the reins of the charity, making her the first female at the helm of the organization.

In Blow to Erdogan, Turkish Court Halts Closing of Schools Tied to His Rival

In a blow to the government, Turkey’s highest court has overturned a law that would have closed thousands of preparatory schools linked to an influential Muslim cleric and rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ergenekon suspect convicted for insulting Gulen

Muammer Karabulut, who stands accused in the investigation into Ergenekon — a clandestine terrorist group that sought to undermine democratically elected government — has been convicted and sentenced to one year in prison for insulting Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen. Karabulut wrote in his book “Protestan Kur’an” (Protestant Quran) that Gulen is “changing” the Muslim […]

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

Kimse Yok Mu enables African girls to go to school

Turkey dismisses another 330 academics, brings total to 7,316

Police waiting at hospital to detain İzmir woman after childbirth

Free speech groups condemn Turkey’s closure of 29 publishers after failed coup

Nigeria: Turkish international college constructs 90 hand pumps, boreholes in local communities

Pakistan plans to expel Turkish teachers linked to opposition at home

US law professor: Erdoğan’s talk of Gülen extradition ‘foolishness’

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News