Gulen’s shadow hangs over Erdogan
Erdogan may have declared victory over the Gulen group, after a warrant was issued for the arrest of Fethullah Gulen, but his headache with this group will not end.
Developments in the continuing war of attrition between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his one-time close ally turned nemesis, the Pennsylvania-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, continue to provide riveting material for foreign diplomats and journalists in Turkey.
The latest development in the saga involves an arrest warrant issued by an Istanbul court Dec. 18 against Gulen. He is being sought for allegedly heading a terrorist organization that is being accused of establishing a “parallel state” to topple the democratically elected government.
The prosecution is reportedly preparing to also seek Gulen’s extradition from the United States, and will ask Interpol to issue a red notice for this purpose. These moves come immediately after the recent police operation — or witch hunt, as some are calling it — against the Gulen media.
Many believe the raids against the Gulen media and the legal moves against Gulen himself were carried out at Erdogan’s instigation. Legal experts doubt, however, that the case against members of the Gulen group can be sustained in the long run.
