Alleged Architect of 2016 Armed Coup in Turkey Passes Away
The group of supporters for US-based scholar Fethullah Gulen is classified as a terrorist organization by the Ankara government. Read Full Article at RT.com
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US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, labeled a terrorist by Ankara, has reportedly passed away in a hospital.
Exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, has died in the United States. The Pennsylvania-based Islamic scholar died in a hospital on Sunday evening after a prolonged illness, as confirmed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday. Gulen was 83 years old.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that intelligence sources in Ankara have verified Gulen’s death.
In July 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to overthrow the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, employing combat aircraft and significant weaponry to seize control of critical sites across the nation. The ensuing violence resulted in approximately 300 casualties.
Following the failed coup, the Turkish government undertook extensive purges of individuals suspected of allegiance to Gulen, leading to thousands facing criminal charges. Additionally, Ankara classed Gulen’s Hizmet movement as the ‘Fethullahist Terrorist Organization.’
Gulen relocated to the US in 1999 for medical treatment but chose to remain there afterward. Turkish officials have accused him of establishing a network of supporters who infiltrated various government sectors in Turkey, particularly the judiciary. The United States has turned down multiple Turkish requests for Gulen's extradition.
During Erdogan's ascent to power in the 1980s, he and Gulen were regarded as political allies. However, their relationship deteriorated after 2013, when Gulen criticized Ankara’s response to the Gezi Park protests. These demonstrations, which lasted over two months, were sparked by opposition to various government policies perceived as undermining secularism in favor of Islamism.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, has died in the United States. The Pennsylvania-based Islamic scholar died in a hospital on Sunday evening after a prolonged illness, as confirmed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday. Gulen was 83 years old.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that intelligence sources in Ankara have verified Gulen’s death.
In July 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to overthrow the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, employing combat aircraft and significant weaponry to seize control of critical sites across the nation. The ensuing violence resulted in approximately 300 casualties.
Following the failed coup, the Turkish government undertook extensive purges of individuals suspected of allegiance to Gulen, leading to thousands facing criminal charges. Additionally, Ankara classed Gulen’s Hizmet movement as the ‘Fethullahist Terrorist Organization.’
Gulen relocated to the US in 1999 for medical treatment but chose to remain there afterward. Turkish officials have accused him of establishing a network of supporters who infiltrated various government sectors in Turkey, particularly the judiciary. The United States has turned down multiple Turkish requests for Gulen's extradition.
During Erdogan's ascent to power in the 1980s, he and Gulen were regarded as political allies. However, their relationship deteriorated after 2013, when Gulen criticized Ankara’s response to the Gezi Park protests. These demonstrations, which lasted over two months, were sparked by opposition to various government policies perceived as undermining secularism in favor of Islamism.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
