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Gulen’s movement uses Armenian lobby against Turkey - Turkish PM

Türkiye Materials 10 February 2015 16:42 (UTC +04:00)
Fethullah Gulen’s movement (Islamic public figure, currently residing in the United States) uses the Armenian lobby to exert pressure on Turkey
Gulen’s movement uses Armenian lobby against Turkey - Turkish PM

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Fethullah Gulen's movement (Islamic public figure, currently residing in the United States) uses the Armenian lobby to exert pressure on Turkey, the Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu said, the channel TRT Haber reported Feb.10.

The leader of the movement and his supporters implement anti-Turkish propaganda in the United States by all means, according to Davutoglu.

He also said that Gulen has recently made a statement in which he said that Turkey violates the rights of non-Muslims, including Armenians, which is in the interests of the Armenian lobby.

Davutoglu said that such a statement is not accidental, given the fact that April 24 will mark the centennial of the Armenian "genocide."

Earlier it was reported that a large-scale staff reshuffle is expected to take place in the government bodies of Turkey as part of fight against the Gulen movement.

It is expected that almost all the heads of Turkey's state agencies will be replaced.

On Jan. 28, the Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication Lutfi Elvan said all the applicants for employment in government agencies would be thoroughly checked to prevent a possible infiltration of Gulen's supporters to Turkey's state bodies.

In February 2014, the Turkish media reported that in 2011, the 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 an anti-terrorist operation carried out by Istanbul prosecutor's office against "Salam" terrorist organization.

During the anti-terrorist operations, telephone conversations of the head of the Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan were wiretapped as well.

At that time, the then prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip 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.

Erdogan also previously said that Gulen would be extradited from the US. However, the US authorities said that an extradition is inadmissible.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Ankara would make every effort to achieve Gulen's extradition.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which has continued for more than 25 years, put an end to lives of over 40,000 people. PKK is recognized as terrorist organization by the UN and the EU.

PPK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, launched an armed campaign for an ethnic homeland in the mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking decades of strife that has claimed more than 30,000 lives.

Edited by CN

Follow the author on Twitter @rhafizoglu

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