Turkey’s Erdogan:
Main Opposition Should Be Probed for Gulen Links
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says that the main opposition party should be investigated for possible links to the U.S.-based cleric accused of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt, amid a bout of finger-pointing between the two sides.
Ankara blames Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, for masterminding the abortive putsch and has carried out a widespread crackdown on his alleged supporters. Thousands of people have been detained, arrested or sacked over links to Gulen’s network.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said last week Erdogan was the "political wing” of Gulen’s network, accusing him of allowing thousands of Gulenists to enter state ranks.
His comments drew harsh backlash from Erdogan, who in turn accused Kilicdaroglu of being involved with Gulen’s network, which Ankara calls FETO.
"Everyone may have had a role in growing, strengthening and expanding FETO in Turkey. However, it is myself and the AK Party that declared them a terrorist organization and waged a war on them,” Erdogan told his AK Party (AKP) on Wednesday.
"We struggled to remove the FETO elements in institutions, and we think that we still haven’t been able to fully eliminate this scheme,” he added. "The state followed FETO everywhere, but it is clear that the CHP headquarters has not been examined enough.”
Gulen and Erdogan, once allies, fell apart in 2013 during a corruption investigation that briefly threatened to engulf the government, which Erdogan blames on Gulen’s network. Erdogan’s government also accuses Gulen of trying to establish a "parallel state” in Turkey.
Shortly after the 2016 coup attempt, Erdogan had said he had been "deceived” by Gulen and his network.
In another development in Turkey, a prominent businessman was re-arrested hours after being acquitted on Tuesday over his alleged role in landmark 2013 protests, which posed a major challenge to Erdogan.
Osman Kavala was among nine people acquitted of an alleged role in organizing the Gezi Park protests.
Commenting on Kavala’s acquittal, Erdogan said "they set out to acquit him with a maneuver”. He later told reporters the new arrest order must be respected.
Ankara blames Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, for masterminding the abortive putsch and has carried out a widespread crackdown on his alleged supporters. Thousands of people have been detained, arrested or sacked over links to Gulen’s network.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said last week Erdogan was the "political wing” of Gulen’s network, accusing him of allowing thousands of Gulenists to enter state ranks.
His comments drew harsh backlash from Erdogan, who in turn accused Kilicdaroglu of being involved with Gulen’s network, which Ankara calls FETO.
"Everyone may have had a role in growing, strengthening and expanding FETO in Turkey. However, it is myself and the AK Party that declared them a terrorist organization and waged a war on them,” Erdogan told his AK Party (AKP) on Wednesday.
"We struggled to remove the FETO elements in institutions, and we think that we still haven’t been able to fully eliminate this scheme,” he added. "The state followed FETO everywhere, but it is clear that the CHP headquarters has not been examined enough.”
Gulen and Erdogan, once allies, fell apart in 2013 during a corruption investigation that briefly threatened to engulf the government, which Erdogan blames on Gulen’s network. Erdogan’s government also accuses Gulen of trying to establish a "parallel state” in Turkey.
Shortly after the 2016 coup attempt, Erdogan had said he had been "deceived” by Gulen and his network.
In another development in Turkey, a prominent businessman was re-arrested hours after being acquitted on Tuesday over his alleged role in landmark 2013 protests, which posed a major challenge to Erdogan.
Osman Kavala was among nine people acquitted of an alleged role in organizing the Gezi Park protests.
Commenting on Kavala’s acquittal, Erdogan said "they set out to acquit him with a maneuver”. He later told reporters the new arrest order must be respected.