Turkish intelligence chief to visit Germany
The head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT), Hakan Fidan, has been invited to visit Germany, according to reports in German media outlets. According to Deutsche Welle, Fidan will visit Berlin in the near future at the invitation of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) head Bruno Kahl. During the visit, Fidan is expected to meet with Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany's domestic intelligence organization.
Fidan's visit will take place a few weeks after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Ankara. Fidan and his counterpart Kahl will reportedly discuss cooperation in the counterterrorism fight against Daesh, the PKK terrorist organization and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
‘There is no evidence of DİTİB imams spying on Germany'
The office for the BfV in North Rhine-Westphalia announced that after the investigation they found no evidence linking the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB) with spies. In January, the German Kölner Stadt Anziger daily claimed that DİTİB imams had acted as informants against members of the FETÖ terrorist organization, which has been blamed for the July 15 failed coup attempt. A German paper reported that spying allegations against the imams have expanded as it emerged that five Turkish religious teachers were profiled by the imams. This issue was also raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Ankara in early February. The DİTİB made the statement about the incident following a visit to Turkey by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Feb. 2, saying they did not accept the accusations of spying but they did decide to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, the BfV in North Rhine-Westphalia found no evidence to link the DİTİB with spying allegations. Ralf Jaeger, the interior minister of North-Rhine Westphalia, said last week that the DİTİB has no connection with the spying allegations. Jaeger pointed out that reports on "spying activity" differed in quality and quantity from each other.
MFA spokesman denies wrongdoing in Austria
Austrian Greens Deputy Peter Pilz claimed that the Turkish Embassy in Vienna and the Turkish Consulate in Salzburg is enlisting Turkish religious organizations abroad as part of a global effort to undermine supporters of FETÖ. However Ambassador Hüseyin Müstüoğlu denied the allegations and called on the Austrian authorities to avoid statements that harm Turkish-Austrian relations.
Fidan's visit will take place a few weeks after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Ankara. Fidan and his counterpart Kahl will reportedly discuss cooperation in the counterterrorism fight against Daesh, the PKK terrorist organization and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
‘There is no evidence of DİTİB imams spying on Germany'
The office for the BfV in North Rhine-Westphalia announced that after the investigation they found no evidence linking the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB) with spies. In January, the German Kölner Stadt Anziger daily claimed that DİTİB imams had acted as informants against members of the FETÖ terrorist organization, which has been blamed for the July 15 failed coup attempt. A German paper reported that spying allegations against the imams have expanded as it emerged that five Turkish religious teachers were profiled by the imams. This issue was also raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Ankara in early February. The DİTİB made the statement about the incident following a visit to Turkey by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Feb. 2, saying they did not accept the accusations of spying but they did decide to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, the BfV in North Rhine-Westphalia found no evidence to link the DİTİB with spying allegations. Ralf Jaeger, the interior minister of North-Rhine Westphalia, said last week that the DİTİB has no connection with the spying allegations. Jaeger pointed out that reports on "spying activity" differed in quality and quantity from each other.
MFA spokesman denies wrongdoing in Austria
Austrian Greens Deputy Peter Pilz claimed that the Turkish Embassy in Vienna and the Turkish Consulate in Salzburg is enlisting Turkish religious organizations abroad as part of a global effort to undermine supporters of FETÖ. However Ambassador Hüseyin Müstüoğlu denied the allegations and called on the Austrian authorities to avoid statements that harm Turkish-Austrian relations.
Last Update: February 14, 2017 21:49