Update to TUR34175.E of 10 April 2000 regarding Fethullah (Fetullah) Gulen, including whether he or his organizations have been investigated in Germany [TUR35394.E]

According to a 12 August 2000 Istanbul Hurriyet report, Fethullah Gulen remains in the United States "under continuous medical supervision" suffering from heart trouble and diabetes. However, warrants for his arrest were issued in August 2000: the following chronology of events relating to the charges against Fethullah (Fetullah) Gulen during August 2000 appeared in an 11 September 2000 Turkish Daily News report:

August 8 - Ankara State Security Court (DGM) Public Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel demands the arrest of renowned Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen for setting up a gang. The court rejects the demand.
August 11 - The Ankara DGM orders the arrest of Fethullah Gulen for setting up a gang to overthrow the secular system of the country and establish an Islamic state. Gulen, who is residing in New York, faces immediate arrest if he returns to Turkey.
August 28 - The Istanbul DGM lifts the arrest warrant issued by the Ankara No. 2 DGM for Fethullah Gulen.
August 31 - DGM Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel demands a 10-year prison sentence against Fethullah Gulen a day after the head of the fiercely secular military criticized the cancellation of an arrest warrant against the preacher.

According to Dawn, however, Fethullah Gulen, was again charged on 31 August 2000 (2 Sept. 2000). According to the Istanbul Hurriyet the prosecutor, Huh Mete Yuksel, was investigating Gulen's "brains team" and had linked a number of organizations to Fethullah Gulen, including: 88 foundations, 20 associations, 128 private schools, 218 companies, 129 education centres and approximately 500 dormitories, 17 publication organs (including a circulation of 250,000 newspapers), a television station, radio stations, interest-free financing bodies and an insurance company (4 Sept. 2000). Turkish Daily News reported on 5 September 2000 that Prosecutor Yuksel was preparing to launch investigations into Gulen's "so-called 'consultative committee'" as police placed associations, schools and businesses connected with him under scrutiny. It was also reported that the state would be seeking a ten-year sentence for Fethullah Gulen in a trial to start on 16 October 2000 (ibid. 6 Sept. 2000; Anatolia 7 Sept. 2000).

No references to any investigation of Fethullah Gulen's activities or organizations in Germany could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Anatolia [Ankara, in English]. 7 September 2000. "Fethullah Gulen Trial to Start on 16 October at Ankara State Security Court." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0908 7 Sept. 2000/WNC)

Dawn [Karachi]. 2 September 2000. Chris Morris. "Turkey Targets 'Radical Islam'." http://www.dawn.com/2000/09/02/intl1.htm [Accessed 5 Sept. 2000]

Hurriyet [Istanbul, in Turkish]. Oya Armutcu. 4 September 2000. "Prosecutor Investigating Fethullah Said Looking For Gulen's Advisory Committee." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0905 4 Sept. 2000/WNC)

_____. 12 August 2000. Pinar Turenc. "Gulen's Lawyers to Appeal Against Arrest Warrant." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0813 12 Aug 2000/WNC)

Turkish Daily News. [Istanbul]. 11 September 2000. Ilnur Cevik. "August 2000: Tug-of-War Between the President and the Government Over Civil Servants Decree." (NEXIS)

_____. 6 September 2000. "Judicial Year Begins With Heavy Agenda." (NEXIS)

_____. 5 September 2000. "Turkish Press Scanner: Gulen's Team to be Investigated as Well." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted


Middle East International [London].

Unsuccessful attempts to contact an oral source

Internet sites, including:

FethullahGulen.org

Turkey Update

Search engines, including:

Alltheweb

Dogpile

Hotbot