More on Erdogan backer Fetullah Gulen(REPOST from TerrorFinance Blog,2007)
by Ganesh Sahathevan
I have previously written about the Fetullah Gulen and his movement , and their influence in Turkey. I have drawn special attention to their support for Turkish PM Erdogan,and Erdogan's support for the SDGT Yassin Al-Kadi ( http://www.terrorfinance.org/the_terror_finance_blog/2007/08/erdoganakp-back.html )
The article also draws attention to the charges brought against Gulen by previous Turkish Governments, in regards to his attempts to establish an Islamic state in Turkey.
A part of the Gulen organisation is the Society for Social and Economic Solidarity with Pacific Countries (PASIAD).
PASIAD serves at least 3 functions:
a) to promote trade and development by assisting Turkish and Asian businessmen establish contact with each other. (see http://en.fgulen.com/content/view/2198/31/ )
b) the establishment of Turkish schools. In 2004, 4 teachers at a PASIAD school in the Philippines were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities.The school is located in the southern Philippines city of Cotobato, where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is active.(see ( http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/04/02/a1_9.php)
c) propagation of the Islamic faith
In regards to paragraph a), attention is drawn to the fact that PASIAD funds study tours of Turkey by persons with whom Gulen chapters in various countries have sought to build relations. In Australia PASIAD funded a tour of Turkey by an assistant commissioner of police, Ken Lay and his wife. The tour included meetings with various business people in Turkey .( http://www.intercultural.org.au/edialogue/2007/August/index.html )
The assistant commissioner has refused to respond to all queries sent him regarding his trip to Turkey and the business people he met. The questions were put to him in context of Erdogan's support for the SDGT Yassin Al-Kadi.
In regards to paragraph b), attention is drawn to the following matters:
Gulen schools in Russia and Central Asia have been investigated, some closed down for encouraging fundamentalism ,and the terrorism that springs from it (see for example http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/azerbaijan/hypermail/200202/0031.shtml )
In the 1990s, the growth in Turkey of both political Islam and an Islamic-driven pan-Turkism that envisions uniting all the Turkic-- speaking nations from the Mediterranean to China, created problems for Turkey in Central Asia. In 1999, Tashkent shut down the Turkish schools in Uzbekistan run by the Turkish Sufi cleric Fetullah Gulen, accusing them of supporting Islamic groups. (The fires of faith in Central Asia,Ahmed Rashid,1 April 2001,World Policy Journal
45-55,Volume 18, Issue 1)
Even in the Gulen movement's own words , there was little difference between Gulen and the Gray Wolves, best known outside Turkey for the attempted assassination of the late Pope John Paul II by one of their members , Mehmet Ali Agca ( see http://en.fgulen.com/content/view/1208/23/)
In regards to paragraph c), suffice to say that being Sufi has not prevented the Gulen movement in PASIAD from working with Sunni groups such as the World Civilization Research Group of Malaysia (or by the Malay acronym , GPTD).
The GPTD is part of the Malaysian Muslim Youth Force (ABIM), founded by Anwar Ibrahim of the International Institute of Islamci Thought. ABIM continues to maintain strong links with the IIIT even as the latter is being investigated for financing terrorism related activities in the US and elsewhere.
More on Erdogan backer Fetullah Gulen
I have previously written about the Fetullah Gulen and his movement , and their influence in Turkey. I have drawn special attention to their support for Turkish PM Erdogan,and Erdogan's support for the SDGT Yassin Al-Kadi ( http://www.terrorfinance.org/the_terror_finance_blog/2007/08/erdoganakp-back.html )
The article also draws attention to the charges brought against Gulen by previous Turkish Governments, in regards to his attempts to establish an Islamic state in Turkey.
A part of the Gulen organisation is the Society for Social and Economic Solidarity with Pacific Countries (PASIAD).
PASIAD serves at least 3 functions:
a) to promote trade and development by assisting Turkish and Asian businessmen establish contact with each other. (see http://en.fgulen.com/content/view/2198/31/ )
b) the establishment of Turkish schools. In 2004, 4 teachers at a PASIAD school in the Philippines were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities.The school is located in the southern Philippines city of Cotobato, where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is active.(see ( http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/04/02/a1_9.php)
c) propagation of the Islamic faith
In regards to paragraph a), attention is drawn to the fact that PASIAD funds study tours of Turkey by persons with whom Gulen chapters in various countries have sought to build relations. In Australia PASIAD funded a tour of Turkey by an assistant commissioner of police, Ken Lay and his wife. The tour included meetings with various business people in Turkey .( http://www.intercultural.org.au/edialogue/2007/August/index.html )
The assistant commissioner has refused to respond to all queries sent him regarding his trip to Turkey and the business people he met. The questions were put to him in context of Erdogan's support for the SDGT Yassin Al-Kadi.
In regards to paragraph b), attention is drawn to the following matters:
Gulen schools in Russia and Central Asia have been investigated, some closed down for encouraging fundamentalism ,and the terrorism that springs from it (see for example http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/azerbaijan/hypermail/200202/0031.shtml )
In the 1990s, the growth in Turkey of both political Islam and an Islamic-driven pan-Turkism that envisions uniting all the Turkic-- speaking nations from the Mediterranean to China, created problems for Turkey in Central Asia. In 1999, Tashkent shut down the Turkish schools in Uzbekistan run by the Turkish Sufi cleric Fetullah Gulen, accusing them of supporting Islamic groups. (The fires of faith in Central Asia,Ahmed Rashid,1 April 2001,World Policy Journal
45-55,Volume 18, Issue 1)
Even in the Gulen movement's own words , there was little difference between Gulen and the Gray Wolves, best known outside Turkey for the attempted assassination of the late Pope John Paul II by one of their members , Mehmet Ali Agca ( see http://en.fgulen.com/content/view/1208/23/)
In regards to paragraph c), suffice to say that being Sufi has not prevented the Gulen movement in PASIAD from working with Sunni groups such as the World Civilization Research Group of Malaysia (or by the Malay acronym , GPTD).
The GPTD is part of the Malaysian Muslim Youth Force (ABIM), founded by Anwar Ibrahim of the International Institute of Islamci Thought. ABIM continues to maintain strong links with the IIIT even as the latter is being investigated for financing terrorism related activities in the US and elsewhere.
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