Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 12
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The leader of the opposition Republican People's Party of Turkey Kemal Kilicdaroglu has denied the party's connection with Fethullah Gulen's movement, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported Feb. 12.
Fethullah Gulen, the Islamic public figure currently residing in the US is accused of espionage against Turkey.
"The media information and statements of some members of the party about its contacts with Gulen's movement are wrong," Kilicdaroglu said.
Earlier, MP from Turkey's opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ayman Guler admitted that the party had an agreement with the Fethullah Gulen movement.
Ayman Guler said that under the agreement, Gulen's supporters voted for the Republican People's Party during the municipal elections held on March 30 in Turkey.
Kilicdaroglu also said that as a leader of the opposition party, he has always been against the illegal organizations and structures.
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.
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