News
Intel chief first gives anti-Hizmet file to Obama, then visits Gülen, STV president Karaca says
Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan gave a file containing a plan to finish off the Hizmet movement inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen to US President Barack Obama and then the MİT head visited Gülen at his home in Pennsylvania, Samanyolu Media Group Chief Hidayet Karaca stated on Tuesday.
FM Davutoğlu orders ambassadors to avoid Turkish Olympiads
With only a few months remaining before the 12th Turkish Language Olympiads, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has sent a message to Turkish ambassadors and diplomats serving abroad ordering them not to attend the overseas selections phase of the Olympiads, according to diplomatic sources.
Ankara forces Arbil to close Turkish schools in KRG
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani to close Turkish schools in the autonomous region of Iraq during Barzani’s visit to Turkey in mid-February, according to sources close to the KRG prime minister.
Şimşek: Despite slander, Gülen remains silent to avoid provoking gov’t supporters
Osman Şimşek, editor of herkul.org — the website that usually publishes Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s speeches — has said that the Islamic cleric doesn’t respond to slander and insulting remarks so as not to provoke those who support the government.
Islamic scholar Gülen offers condolences to Berkin’s family
Dismayed by unconstructive language adopted by government officials over social issues, Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullan Gülen offered his deep condolences to family of Berkin Elvan, the latest victim of Gezi Park protests, in a statement late on Tuesday.
Erdoğan ‘does not grasp’ separation of powers, MEP says
Andrew Duff, a Liberal Democrat member of the European Parliament, also accused the prime minister, whom he said was “clearly elected democratically,” of not ruling democratically. Duff said the aggravated language that exposes serious rifts between the AK Party and the Gülen movement risks destabilizing Turkey.
White House denies remarks about Gülen attributed to Obama
In an unusual statement, the White House has accused Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of misrepresenting the content of his phone conversation with US President Barack Obama on Feb. 19 regarding the extradition of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who lives in Pennsylvania.
Gülen’s relatives dismayed over smear campaign against Islamic scholar
Dismayed, if not surprised, by the unabated smear campaign against distinguished Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, the scholar’s relatives have expressed their disappointment and anxiety over the endless accusations and slander against Gülen.
PM Erdoğan once defended Hizmet, said it was Feb. 28 [military coup] victim
Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has recently accused the faith-based Hizmet movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen of cooperating with coup perpetrators during the Feb. 28, 1997 post-modern coup era, defended the same movement at a parliamentary coup commission in 2012, when he said the movement’s followers had been victimized during the coup.
