Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.23
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Extradition of Fethullah Gulen [Islamic public figure] from the US will severely weaken his Hizmet movement in Turkey and in the whole world, Turkish expert on foreign policy Yildiz Celik told Trend on Dec.23.
However, Turkey will not be able to completely neutralize the Gulen movement, according to the expert.
He added that Gulen's extradition can also weaken the US position in Turkey. Although the US and Turkey have an agreement on the extradition of criminals dated 1980, the US will refuse to extradite Gulen, said Celik.
Given Gulen's serious influence in Turkey, the US will use him as a tool of pressure on the country, the expert added.
"The policy pursued by Turkey in the region, as well as the policy of rapprochement with Russia and Iran harms the US interests," Celik said. "Therefore, the US will by all means try to use Gulen for its own purposes."
Turkish court issued a decision on Dec.19 to arrest Fethullah Gulen.
Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Ankara will make every effort to achieve the extradition of Gulen who is accused of creating a terrorist group and espionage against Turkey.
Turkish media reported on Feb. 25 that in 2011 telephone conversations of about 7,000 people associated with the representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties, including family members of the prime minister were wiretapped, as part of the anti-terrorist operation carried out by the Istanbul prosecutor's office against 'Salam' terrorist organization.
During the anti-terrorist operations, telephone conversations of the head Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan were wiretapped as well. Turkish then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Gulen of standing behind the wiretapping of the phone conversations.
Erdogan also stressed that Gulen's movement (which he earlier called as a 'parallel structure') with its anti-state activities proved that it is not a religious movement, but a politicized and illegal structure.
He called on Fethullah Gulen not to intervene in Turkey's internal affairs and accused the US of supporting him. A criminal case has been initiated in Turkey against Gulen for his coup attempt and espionage against the country.
Erdogan also previously said that Gulen will be extradited from the US. However, the US authorities said that his extradition is inadmissible.
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