Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The movement of Fethullah Gulen [an Islamic public figure, residing in the US], harmed Turkey's interests more than the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Milliyet newspaper reported Feb. 10.
"Despite the fact that there were armed clashes between the Turkish army and the PKK militants, that organization didn't carry out the campaign to slander Turkey, as it is done by Fethullah Gulen's movement," the president said.
"Turkey will continue to fight against the Gulen movement," Erdogan added.
On Jan. 28, the Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication Lutfi Elvan said all the applicants for employment in government agencies will be thoroughly checked to prevent a possible infiltration of Gulen's supporters to Turkey's state bodies.
In February 2014 Turkey was hit by a huge wiretapping scandal, which involved about 7,000 people associated with the representatives of both the ruling and opposition parties, including family members of the prime minister. At that time Erdogan accused Gulen of standing behind the wiretapping of the phone conversations.
Erdogan stressed that the Gulen movement with its anti-state activities proved that it is not a religious movement, but a politicized and illegal structure.
He also called on Fethullah Gulen not to intervene in Turkey's internal affairs and accused the US of supporting him.
Edited by SI
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