Turkish Politics & Internal Affairs

[Zulkarneyn]

Missed this last week, posting now:

U.S. Official: Gulen Islamic Schools ‘Organized Crime,’ Not ‘Benign Religious Movement’

REUTERS/Charles Mostoller/File Photo

by FRANCES MARTEL1 Nov 201647

An unnamed “senior U.S. State Department official” told reporters Tuesday that American law enforcement evidence suggests that Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen operates his charter schools like an “organized crime” syndicate, not a religious group, and that Turkey’s demands to extradite Gulen for criminal activity “may have some merit.”

The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Gulen of orchestrating the failed coup d’etat defeated on July 15 and infiltrating the nation’s military, civilian law enforcement, and educational infrastructure to establish a “cult” to Gulen within Turkey.

The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet cites the unnamed official as saying that Gulen’s Hizmet Islamic organization operates “a lot like the ways in which organized crime sets itself up by folks who are trying to hide money for money laundering,” rather than what it presents itself as: “a benign religious movement.” He added that Turkey’s claims that Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, should be extradited for his role in the failed coup “may have some merit,” though he did not elaborate.

Hizmet supporters describe the movement as “a ‘faith-inspired collectivity’ with millions of followers and sympathizers who draw on Islamic spirituality and teaching, constituting one of the largest civil movements.” The movement operates more than 1,000 schools worldwide, including 150 in the United States, which operate on taxpayer subsidies. Gulen himself argues that Hizmet (“service”) is a moderate Islamic alternative that has a role to play in the eradication of radical Islam.

Gulen opponents, including the government of Turkey, argue that, instead, Hizmet is a cult centered around Gulen in which adherents are encouraged to aid in the overthrow of the Turkish government to establish Gulen as the nation’s leader.

The U.S. government has not weighed in officially on these accusations, though America’s Hizmet schools have run into problems of their own. The FBI raided 19 of the schools in 2014, citing discrepancies in the group’s finances.

The Turkish government has made multiple official requests for Gulen’s extradition, citing the July 15 coup attempt and comparing the Hizmet movement to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, calling them both “CIA projects.” Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag visited Washington last week to personally encourage his American counterpart Loretta Lynch to begin the extradition process.

In public comments, Bozdag compared Gulen to Osama bin Laden, citing him as an equivalent danger to the stability of the Turkish government. “Whatever Osama bin Laden means for the United States and the American people, Fethullah Gulen means the same for Turkey and the Turkish people,” he said, comparing the coup attempt to “an assassination attempt on President Obama and his family, where the White House was bombed [and] … tanks were marching the streets [and] … 241 U.S. civilians were killed and around 3,000 were wounded.”

While Turkey has sent thousands of files to Washington related to the Gulen case, by late August, American officials confirmed that none of those documents appeared to have anything to do with the failed coup. “The evidence is crystal clear. We know the terrorist cult responsible for the vicious attacks against us and the Turkish people. We simply cannot understand why the U.S. cannot just hand over this individual,” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said at the time, shortly before U.S. officials – and Turkish government spokespeople – confirmed that they had not yet compiled evidence linking Gulen to the coup.

Last week, Turkish officials said they finally handed over the relevant evidence regarding Gulen and the failed coup.

Meanwhile, the Turkish government has continued to crack down on individuals and media organizations it claims has an affiliation to Gulen. This week, Turkish police shut down 15 media outlets and arrested multiple senior staffers at the newspaper Cumhuriyet, the nation’s premier secularist opposition newspaper. Cumhuriyet grew to international recognition after facing government suppression for agreeing to publish a Turkish-language inset of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo following a jihadist attack on its headquarters. Cumhuriyet later published a report accusing Turkey’s intelligence agency, the MIT, of supplying weapons to Syrian rebels. For that, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Can Dündar, received a five-year prison sentence. Dündar eventually escaped to Germany.

Turkey has arrested, detained, or fired from state jobs more than 100,000 people in relation to Gulen and the July 15 coup attempt.

Finally. The US officials investigating this hopefully will lead to the organizations shady methods and agenda being illuminated. They have hundreds of private schools in the US alone. Where does so much fund come from? Is it all accounted for?

 

[Solomon2]

Finally. The US officials investigating this hopefully will lead to the organizations shady methods and agenda being illuminated. They have hundreds of private schools in the US alone. Where does so much fund come from? Is it all accounted for?

We do know that some of the money came from contracts with local governments - funds which were then improperly spent. As I posted a few months back, U.S. law enforcement has been investigating the Gulenist school network for at least four years. But the article implies the information needed to really put the screws on was only provided by Turkey a few weeks ago.

 

[Zulkarneyn]

. But the article implies the information needed to really put the screws on was only provided by Turkey a few weeks ago.

This is still the responsibility of the US government and officials. These are schools operated on US ground and they follow the islamist ideology of a madman. Under the disguise of "dialogue", what kind of dialogue allows you to infiltrate every state institution including the military? If you allow these guys to operate freely they will even challenge the powerful Jewish lobby, mark my words

 

[Solomon2]

Lawyers for prominent Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen are warning Trump to not pressure judges to extradite him to Turkey. | AP Photo

Lawyers to Trump: Don't pressure judges in Turkey extradition case
By NAHAL TOOSI


11/11/16 12:54 PM EST

Lawyers for a prominent Muslim cleric are warning President-elect Donald Trump not to pressure the U.S. judiciary to deport their client to Turkey after a leading Trump adviser compared the elderly preacher to Osama bin Laden.

The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, is accused by his native Turkey of plotting the failed coup that roiled the Muslim-majority country in July. Gulen, who has millions of followers worldwide, lives in Pennsylvania and denies the allegations.

Turkey, fearing Gulen will flee to Canada or another third country, has asked the U.S. to place Gulen under provisional arrest and eventually extradite him to face charges.

On Tuesday, as American voters headed to the polls, retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, a Trump aide mentioned as in the running for a top national security job, published an op-ed in The Hill that blasted Gulen and praised Turkey.

Flynn described Gulen as "shady Islamic mullah" and compared his movement to the Muslim Brotherhood and the revolutionary forces that empowered the late Iranian Islamist leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Echoing an argument made by Turkey, Flynn posited that the U.S. should treat Gulen the way it had expected Afghanistan to treat bin Laden.

"It is unconscionable to militate against Turkey, our NATO ally, as Washington is hoodwinked by this masked source of terror and instability nestled comfortably in our own backyard in Pennsylvania," Flynn insisted.

In a statement issued late Thursday, Gulen's lawyers said they hoped Flynn's op-ed "is not a statement of policy for President-Elect Trump."

"The extradition process is a serious one, governed by [a] treaty with Turkey that is clear about the steps that need to be taken in such cases. It should not be a political matter," the lawyers wrote. "The United States has strong democratic institutions, including its judiciary system, where these high-level issues are handled. We expect and are confident that will be the case in the next administration.”

Turkish diplomatic sources expressed glee over Flynn's commentary.

"We are pleased that a top adviser of President-elect Donald Trump is aware of the danger that Fetullah Gulen and his terrorist organization represent and that he has made public his concerns," a Turkish Embassy official said. "Our main expectation is still that Fethullah Gulen is extradited to Turkey as soon as possible."

The Turkish government has launched an expensive PR and lobbying campaign to persuade American leaders to hand over Gulen, who is in his late 70s and a U.S. legal permanent resident.

Turkish officials also have turned over an array of files requesting Gulen's extradition, though it is not clear if they have yet sent over evidence directly linking him to the coup attempt, which killed at least 240 people wounded many more.

The U.S. has not placed Gulen under arrest, despite Turkish worries that he may flee to a country such as Canada, which does not have an extradition treaty with Turkey. Gulen's aides say he has no plans to leave the United States because he trusts its institutions.

The extradition process is largely the province of U.S. courts, which must determine whether there's enough evidence to hand Gulen back to Turkey. Ultimately, however, the U.S. secretary of state will have a say, and he or she could halt the extradition over concerns such whether Gulen could be tortured if returned to Turkey, lawyers say.

The whole process could last many months, even years.

Gulen's followers say they are peaceful and committed to humanitarian and democratic ideals. Gulenists have opened around 150 charter schools in the United States alone, many of which focus on science and math.

But Gulen's detractors say he and his supporters have spent years infiltrating Turkish institutions and are determined to amass power. They insist the movement has a dark side, and that Gulen is not as frail or innocent as he pretends to be.

 

[Deliorman]

Do they even care?

But why should they care when their main target group is not the one which includes the most of the intelligent, successful and self critisizing members of society who have a clearer view on their lives and what is happening around them but the one which includes mostly those with more conservative and backward views who always blame others for their misery?

In this part of the world (like in most other places) the majority is consisted of people who are easily being manipulated with some nice, funny or strong words/promises some chest thimping and acting it cool in public. Stupid and uneducated people always fall for this trap... you saw it even in the US last Tuesday. When you include medias who always try to interpret words in the most scandalous way possible just because it feeds them or because they have to and there you go- you have a bunch of scandalous speeches and words that run all over the place from mouth to mouth and ear to ear.

Of course internet is a good place to find different views and even answers which in lot's of cases are the right ones but you should search a little and you have to be able to understand and except different views... which is not possible for the stupid people.

ps People and politicians should understand that talking less, doing more and staying humble when you talk, work and live is the way to success.

 

[Solomon2]

...Under the disguise of "dialogue", what kind of dialogue allows you to infiltrate every state institution including the military?

The kind of "dialogue" agreed upon at the Saudi-sponsored Islamic Preparatory Conference on Religious Dialogue back in 2008: the primary purpose of "dialogue" is "to introduce Islam", encompassing "all political, research and academic and media fields, not only religious leaders" including "those with abusive attitudes to Islam", cooperation with Islamic countries and organizations over host governments, and suppression of Western-oriented dissent.

 

[Zulkarneyn]

People and politicians should understand that talking less, doing more and staying humble when you talk, work and live is the way to success.

In this day and age that's a no go bro. Populism works best

 

[Solomon2]

But why should they care -

It's Turks' decision to make whether they want others to think better of Turkey or not. I can remember when such Turkish PR efforts were more successful a few decades ago when Turkey teamed with the U.S. government to discourage U.S. citizens from smuggling drugs in and out of Turkey or engaging in drug tourism. The campaign included warnings about how much more severe the penalties were in Turkey than in the U.S. and that the U.S. gov't would not intervene alleviate convictions or prison conditions (which were implied to be terrible.) Certainly some of the marijuana-imbibing students I was with were stunned by the commercials, even if they were a bit stoned at the time.

I think it is notable that what appears to be the first priority of president-elect Trump's foreign policy team is Gulen and Turkey over all other issues.

...retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, a Trump aide mentioned as in the running for a top national security job, published an op-ed in The Hill that blasted Gulen and praised Turkey...

Ooops! Looks like Gen'l Flynn may be on Erdogan's payroll: link.. Sorry about that.

 

[xenon54 out]

Ooops! Looks like Gen'l Flynn may be on Erdogan's payroll: link.. Sorry about that.

Lobbying is the lifeline of US politics, glad that Turkey got finaly more active in this, anti-Turkey lobbying in US and Europe is in its peak at the moment, we should curb this with our own lobbying activities.

 

[Solomon2]

Lobbying is the lifeline of US politics, glad that Turkey got finaly more active in this, anti-Turkey lobbying in US and Europe is in its peak at the moment, we should curb this with our own lobbying activities.

Flynn was hired sneakily through an Erdogan-connected Dutch company early last month, not directly and registered as Turkey's foreign agent as should have been. Flynn may forfeit a position in the Trump Administration as a result. Erdogan has nothing to be ashamed of or fear by openly hiring advocates of his government's position.

 

[xenon54 out]

Flynn was hired sneakily through an Erdogan-connected Dutch company early last month, not directly as should have been. Flynn may forfeit a position in the Trump Administration as a result. Erdogan has nothing to be ashamed of by openly hiring advocates of his government's position.

Is this information valid in the first place?
I mean how many false reports have we heard in recent years about Turkey, one was even saying isis opened embassy in Istanbul, sry but i dont believe in this ''my friends uncle heard this and that'' style reports.

 

[Solomon2]

Is this information valid in the first place?

There is a possibility that the Dutch company that hired Flynn, Inovo BV, merely has the same name as the Dutch company Inovo BV which is known to have Erdogan connections.

 

[ashok321]

https://twitter.com/x/status/797697588505911296

 

[Islamic faith&Secularism]

The Turkish army keeps ''bleeding'' with the ''policies'' of the AKP.

The last example is the Turkish special forces, in which candidates are chosen by the lowest exam score and no skill among people who are not confirmed to be reliable.

That means the AKP is creating an ''army'' of guardians for themselves.

 

[Solomon2]

Tensions flare as Turkey heads to vote on new Erdogan powers


Stuart Williams
AFP November 14, 2016

Turkish courts have arrested more than 35,000 people after a failed coup to unseat Erdogan (AFP Photo/Adem Altan)

Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey is heading to a referendum on granting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan new powers as early as next spring, ratcheting up tensions amid a crackdown on dissent and pro-Kurdish politicians, analysts say.

The courts have arrested over 35,000 people under a state of emergency imposed in the wake of the failed July 15 coup aimed at unseating Erdogan whose defeat the authorities see as a triumph of Turkish democracy.

But with 10 MPs from the main Kurdish party and the same number from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily imprisoned this month, critics say the focus of the crackdown has gone well beyond alleged supporters of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen whom Turkey blames for the plot.

The prime political concern of Erdogan following the failure of the coup has been winning support to change the existing constitution to create a presidential system.

Government officials argue a fully presidential system is needed to legalise what has become a de-facto situation, with Erdogan now Turkey's undisputed number one after transforming the office of head of state.

To obtain the parliamentary super-majority required to call a referendum, Erdogan needs the support of MPs from the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of Devlet Bahceli which strongly approves of a crackdown against the pro-Kurdish and leftist opposition.

- 'Faster development' -

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkey Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told AFP that talks with the MHP were pushing Erdogan to be "very tough" on the main Kurdish political party as well as the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

"For the next six months we can expect to see a strongman, right-wing and nationalist programme from Erdogan," he told AFP.

He said the changes would mean "he would be crowned head of state, head of government and head of the ruling party".

Abdulkadir Selvi, a well-connected pro-Erdogan columnist at the Hurriyet daily, wrote that the the current plan was to hold a referendum in April or May on the changes, which would also include naming a vice president, and holding parliamentary and presidential elections simultaneously.

Erdogan argued Friday that a presidential system -- which the authorities say would be similar to that in France or the United States -- "will give Turkey the chance for faster development".

- 'Main obstacle' -

But the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) -- which after a breakthrough in 2015 polls is the third largest party in parliament ahead of the MHP -- claim it has been targeted for daring to oppose a presidential system.

The HDP's charismatic co-leader, Selahattin Demirtas, now jailed, made it a personal crusade to block the proposed changes.

"We stopped him (Erdogan) on the way to a presidential system," said party deputy leader Hisyar Ozsoy. "For them the HDP is the main obstacle and should be eliminated."

The Turkish government insists that the HDP failed to distance itself from the PKK and its attacks on Turkish security forces, and that the party has acted as a political front of the group.

International Crisis Group analyst Berkay Mandiraci said the PKK had escalated its actions after the coup while Ankara had intensified military operations and advanced a "domestic crackdown" against alleged PKK supporters.

According to an ICG toll, at least 2,301 people have died in the PKK conflict since July 2015.

"The countrywide political backdrop suggests a trend towards even more determined state policies," Mandiraci said.

- 'Hawkish stance' -

The round-ups have intensified Turkey's rift with the European Union, whose latest accession progress report was its most critical yet.

The EU is also alarmed by the resurgence of the debate in Turkey on nullifying its abolition of the death penalty, whose prohibition is a condition for membership.

Erdogan was one of a handful of world leaders to receive a phone call from Donald Trump after his US election victory.

Ankara is hoping for an easier ride from Trump than it got from the Obama administration.

Marc Pierini, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, said it may be "tempting" to consider the Trump presidency as a boost for Ankara and to expect him to be "less keen on focusing on rights and values in Turkey".

But he cautioned: "Only when he becomes president will we know what Donald Trump's intentions are in the foreign policy field and on Turkey."

With the Turkish economy possibly contracting in the third quarter and the lira losing almost six percent against the dollar in the last month, the tensions could also hurt the economy.

"We think the hawkish stance is likely to be maintained, if not intensified further, to sustain this support through the referendum," said Gokce Celik, chief economist at QNB Finansbank, warning this background might "affect the market sentiment negatively".