Turkish Press Scanner
Hurriyet said: "Ankara's political circles reverberated with striking allegations on the day a private TV channel, ATV, aired footage which unmasked [alleged leader of a religious community whose members are dubbed FethullahcIs] Fethullah Gülen, showing Gülen as he instructs his followers on how to engage in takiyye, that is, religious deception in their efforts to gain control of the state mechanism. Rumor has it that the two video cassettes in question had originated from military intelligence, and that it was retired Gen. Kemal Yavuz who leaked these to the ATV. Also, it is being claimed that certain courses had informed Gülen in advance that the footage was going to be aired, and that he had said, 'The allegation [that we are trying to] seize the state is ridiculous.' during an interview he had given his own magazine, AKSIYON, before ATV aired the controversial footage. With that statement he inadvertently, showed he knew the footage was to be aired."
Another one of his 'achievements'
Milliyet said: "It has been found out that Fethullah Hoca, who wants to seize the state, has been cooperating with the fundamentalist Taleban administration in Afghanistan. In May 1999, Afghan-Turk Cag Egitim, an establishment set up under Gülen's leadership, opened a new school in Kabul which gives shariah-based education. The new school, Aryana Afghan-Turkish High School, Gülen's fifth in Afghanistan, is situated in an area controlled by the Taleban, which is recognized by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates and by no one else in the world. It was opened with a ceremony attended by Ambassador Aydemir Erman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry along with the turbaned Taleban officials in long robes. After Taleban came to power the Gülen-affiliated five schools in Afghanistan adopted a new educational program which focuses on Koran recital, religious jurisprudence and the words and deeds of the Prophet. Afghan teachers instead of Turks started teaching these subjects. And he girl students have been expelled from these schools. A total of 530 children are attending these schools."
It will be discussed by MGK
Star said: "The Fethullah Gülen file will be discussed at the National Security Council (MGK) meeting towards the end of the current month. The 'red file' prepared by the special intelligence units of the state is titled, 'The method: education; the goal: seizing control of the echelons of the state.' This file is mush more comprehensive than the report which the Ankara police force had prepared and presented to the State Security Court (FDM). It gives detailed information about FethullahcIs' activities in the country and abroad, their financial resources and cash flow and their connections at the education Ministry as well as in the judiciary bodies and the police force. Gülen has been insidiously weaving a web o education to attain his 'secret goal.' The community has 238 high schools in 54 foreign countries as well s six universities and 21 hostels. In turkey it has 292 high schools and a university. Some 100,000 youths are attending these schools and another 100,000 have already graduated from them. These schools have 7.000 teachers, 4,000 of them Turkish. The community controls some 500 companies with a total annual volume of operations of $2 billion. The community has 200 foundations. It has a TV channel named Samanyolu and a daily named ZAMAN."
Death penalty to be demanded for Fethullah Hoca
Sabah said: "The video cassette unearthed by SABAH and ATV has made a bombshell effect. DGM prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel has decided to expand the investigation on Gülen initiated three months ago. Yuksel will reportedly conduct the investigation by focusing on whether Gülen has violated Article 146 of the Turkish Penal Code, which bans attempts to replace the conutry's constitutional order with a religion-based system, making such attempts a capital crime. Another SABAH headline said: "Gülen makes a comic defense, says this is a plot 'the gang' has concocted against him. Yuksel may seek an arrest warrant against Gülen who is currently in the United States. This could trigger developments as a result of which Turkey may seek Gülen's extradition."
Is this second round?
Zaman said: "The ugly plot-Gülen says the claim about trying to seize control of the state is slanderous. These ugly slanders are based not on facts but on the plots concocted by those who are involved in the separatist and illegal formation within the state." Another ZAMAN headline said: "The Tele-ear people's attempts to mount a cover up-[Former head of the Ankara police force] Cevdet Saral, was caught red-handed in the 'tele-ear' scandal. At that time the gang made baseless allegations about Gülen in an effort to cover up their own crime. But the government did not heed that argument. Saral, has been suspended from that position, declaring, 'We have lost the first round.' He thus indicated that the struggle [among rival groups in the police force] would continue. The campaign the media has now launched against Gülen is considered the 'beginning of the second round." YENI SAFAK said: "The [Spanish] inquisition-[Former Labor Party leader] Dogu Perincek's men have pushed the button for a new campaign against Gülen began after the tip-offs received from Perincek's team." ORTADOGU said that independent Deputy Mehmet Agar, a former police chief and a former interior minister, had protected Gülen, casting aside the reports prepared on Gülen.
NATO assigns Turkish force to a different area
Hurriyet said: "To appease Russia, which has caused a controversy in Kosovo, NATO has agreed to assign the Turkish contingency in the NATO peace force to a different part of Kosovo rather than along the Serbian border. This prompted the Turkish Foreign Ministry into action. Led by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, our diplomats have accomplished a difficult task. As a result of the bargaining process, the Turkish troops' new assignment area has been determined as Prizren, an area with a predominantly Turkish population." 06.21.1999
- Created on .