Gülen ‘speechless’ on gov’t action plan against Hizmet movement


Date posted: November 30, 2013

Islamic Scholar Fethullah Gülen has described himself as “speechless” and expressed his disappointment about a National Security Council (MGK) decision in 2004 signed by the government and recommending an action plan against Hizmet movement.

A secret national security document recently discovered by the Taraf daily has revealed that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government signed on to a planned crackdown on the Hizmet movement. Taraf published a document on Thursday prepared by the MGK on Aug. 25, 2004, persuading the government to implement a series of measures to curb the activities of the Gülen (Hizmet) movement. It advises the government to adopt legal measures that would impose harsh penalties on Gülen-affiliated institutions.

Gülen stated that if the government had not undertaken steps to close the prep schools (dershane), a move strongly decried by the Hizmet movement, he would have used the “benefit of the doubt” and considered the document as something “circumstantial.”

“What was required for the benefit of the doubt was this: We don’t know the conditions of the time. We weren’t related with the matter so that we can know its background and assess it with its philosophy. This is how I would have looked at it if it had not had a continuation,” Gülen said in statements released on his website herkul.org on Sunday.

“But after statements confirmed the document, not only I felt shattered, but I am left speechless,” he added.

The two-page document was signed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, then-Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül, then-President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Cabinet members, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Özkök, Land Forces Commander Aytaç Yalman, Naval Forces Commander Adm. Özden Örnek, Air Forces Commander Gen. İbrahim Fırtına and Gen. Şener Eruygur.

The document, identified as MGK decision No. 481, asked the government to develop an action plan to pursue the MGK’s recommendations and instructed the Prime Ministry Monitoring Council (BTK) to coordinate the ministries and monitor whether the steps were being implemented.

The MGK decision urges the Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) to closely monitor and report on the activities of the Gülen movement at home and abroad. It advises the government to instruct the Interior Ministry and Ministry of Education to investigate and monitor schools affiliated with the Gülen movement and report their activities to the BTK.

The document states that the government must ensure that the financial activity of Gülen-affiliated businesspeople be monitored thorough the Finance Ministry’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). The MGK wanted the Ministry of Education to investigate Gülen schools as well.

It also asks then-Foreign Minister Gül to cancel his earlier instructions to Turkish missions abroad to help the network of National View (Millî Görüş) and Gülen schools.

The document also comments on the psychological aspects of an operation against the Gülen movement, describing the use of defamation tactics.

The MGK is the top state body created by the 1960 military coup. It was seen as a shadow government while the military was in power. Furthermore, it ruled the country directly from 1980 to 1983 before transferring power to the civilian government.

Yet the military became part of the executive branch through the MGK, joining the president and a committee of ministers. It became the final authority in decisions on a wide range of issues, including law, the economy, education, rights and freedoms. Though its decisions were expressed as advice on paper, they behaved as direct orders to the government.

Source: Today's Zaman , November 30, 2013


Related News

Was there a sincere alliance between the Gulen Movement and Erdogan?

NRT correspondent Huner Anwer interviews Fethullah Gulen in his Pennsylvania residence ask the crucial question on alliance between the Gulen Movement and Erdogan. Gulen says, briefly, there has never been sincere alliance between them but the movement supported Erdogan as long as Erdogan stayed in line with democratic values and honored rule of law.

Money trail in corruption case

The fact that the government practically stalled the investigation with a major reshuffle of the judiciary, police, watchdog agencies that track money, and finance and banking activities, while pushing emergency laws through Parliament to prevent further investigations and leaks, casts a shadow on how far the Erdoğan government had gone in these dirty deals.

Who put those 4.5 million dollars there?

It is fair to say that no government, no organization, no company, no social club could ignore and permit any attempt from within to destroy itself. Even in that case, it is up to independent courts to probe such a conspiracy, plot or coup attempt. It is up to the independent courts, free of political pressure, to investigate both suspicions of a coup attempt and suspicions over large-scale corruption.

Speaking about Gülen, Chomsky: ‘Mandela declared as terrorist, too’

World-famous philosopher, philologist and historian Prof Dr. Noam Chomsky gave a speech about the claims of ‘terrorist’ against Fethullah Gülen in Boston. Chomsky reminded that legendary leader Nelson Mandela, who was awarded with Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against racism and insistence on peaceful solution for racism, had been in ‘list of terrorists’.

Erdoğan’s personal propaganda tool, the MGK

Erdoğan has asserted that the Gülen movement is to be included in the Red Book as a “prioritized threat.” But never mind the fact that he acts and speaks as though this has all been decided upon already. The fact is, he does not have the proper authority to do this. What’s more, there is absolutely no document or piece of information that would support such a move.

Gülen denies attempting to axe peace process

The lawyer of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has strongly denied claims made by the former chairman of the banned pro-Kurdish Democracy Party (DEP) who alleged in a television interview Monday evening that Fethullah Gülen defames, slanders, and obstructs people who support the peace process

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Turkish Cultural Center Vermont gives awards at Friendship Dinner

Turkish NGOs-initiated hospital underway in Uganda

Turkish experts and doctors seek asylum in Greece

Niagara Foundation’s Peace & Dialogue Awards – Michigan 2014

Erdoğan calls for expanded witch hunt against Gülen followers

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu opens two orphanages in Burundi

Can resurrecting the caliphate solve Muslims’ problems?

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News