Having supported the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in its foundational years, the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) secretly aimed at taking hold of military tutelage over the civilian government and thus becoming a "parallel state" as soon as they were threatened with removal from the state's bureaucracy.
In 2011, the AK Party was in its heyday, taking almost 50 percent of the votes in general elections; the AK Party was shining in each field of politics. The national economy was booming, our relations with the EU were moving closer to a partnership, and Turkey was regarded throughout the world a role model in its region.
Turkey's shining image eventually triggered the Arab Spring. Politicians and experts were discussing the establishment of a common market between Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. As an expert in foreign policy then remarked, such an attempt could have been seen as a casus belli for the Western powers, which have been setting the rules of the game in the East for 300 years.
Prioritizing its own national interests, adopting an independent foreign policy attitude and supporting democratic uprisings against the long-standing dictatorships in the Arabic world, Turkey under AK Party leadership appeared to be a threat to the Western colonial powers.
Secretly penetrating the bureaucratic structure and hiding behind a patriotic veil, FETÖ emerged as a powerful spy ring for the Western powers. The group claimed that the AK Party was indebted to its organization for its political success and thus forcefully demanded a share in government. The first conflict between the AK Party and FETÖ appeared in psychological terms as the prime minister at the time, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, rejected their demands for a share in the rule of the country, which they vocalized at the AK Party congress in 2011.
As the attempt to arrest the secretary of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) was proof of FETÖ's overconfidence, the AK Party government decided to abolish FETÖ's private schools. In response, they strived to realize a political coup d'état through the use of infiltrator judges and prosecutors in the judicial branch.
As the judicial coup d'état failed in the face of the government's strong stance, FETÖ waged open war against the AK Party in the local elections in 2014. With its accusations of political corruption, FETÖ aimed to weaken the AK Party's electoral support through the use of lies and slanders.
Unfortunately, the opposition political parties openly made use of arguments that were fabricated by FETÖ's intrigues. They solely focused on accusations of political corruption to such an extent that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was shouting "the thief!" Yet, all of FETÖ's intrigues failed, as the AK Party won the ensuing presidential elections.
As they could not succeed in overthrowing the AK Party government through elections, they appealed to military intervention in a last-ditch attempt. On July 15, 2016, FETÖ attempted to realize a coup d'état by murdering hundreds and wounding thousands of civilians. As the coup d'état failed, tens of thousands of FETÖ members now face trial and life in prison.
At present, FETÖ must have abandoned its tactics of war. Instead, their members are being told to appear as AK Party supporters. To demoralize AK Party constituencies, they are all vocalizing their so-called disappointment with the government.
As the old saying goes, "Water sleeps, but the enemy never sleeps." If FETÖ was one of the most sophisticated spy rings in the world, then such an enemy will never sleep.