Why Erdogan’s media sees British conspiracy in Somalia
The delusional, conspiratorial narrative in Turkey’s pro-AKP media raises questions about the capacity of the ruling elites of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "New Turkey" to understand the world as it really is.
On Jan. 22, a car bomb exploded at the gate of a Mogadishu hotel, where a Turkish team was getting ready to welcome Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. No Turkish nationals were among the six victims, yet the suicide attack was interpreted by both Turkish and Western media as an assault on the Turkish presence in Somalia. The jihadist group al-Shabab, also known as al-Qaeda of Somalia, claimed responsibility, and a spokesman for the group said that Turkish officials had been specifically targeted.
In return, one would expect to see some analysis and concern about al-Shabab in the Turkish media. However, the pro-government media — a steadily growing segment — has shown almost no interest in the group, and has rather focused on a different preoccupation: the alleged British conspiracy behind al-Shabab.
