Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

FETÖ attempts to overthrow Turkish gov't began in 2012

by Daily Sabah

ISTANBUL Jul 15, 2017 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah Jul 15, 2017 12:00 am

Although FETÖ took its most violent step on July 15, its long-term goal of overthrowing the government began actually in 2012

The Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) has repeatedly attempted to overthrow the Turkish government and take over the state. Although the cult's efforts were definitively exposed as a result of the failed July 15 coup attempt, several major events in the years leading up to the coup attempt also took place that reveal the terrorist group's attempts to topple the government and take over the state.

One of the major steps FETÖ took to realize its aims took place on Feb. 7, 2012, when FETÖ-affiliated members of the judiciary tried to prosecute National Intelligence Organization (MİT) head Hakan Fidan and some other offıcers as part of an investigation related to the PKK's umbrella organization and administrative structure, the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK). Istanbul's specially authorized prosecutors, Sadrettin Sarıkaya and Bilal Bayraktar, who were considered to be followers of the Gülen Movement in the judiciary, issued court summons for Fidan for his supposed collaborations with the PKK terrorist organization.However, Fidan and the other suspects involved in the case did not cooperate with the prosecutor's orders after being instructed by then-Prime Minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan - who had planned a surgery on the court day but postponed it due to the incident - not to follow the issued order. A few months prior to this event, Fidan had come under the spotlight for a leaked tape that contained information regarding his meeting with some senior PKK leaders in Oslo, Norway. The meeting was part of the government's effort to find a solution to the decades-long conflict with the PKK.At the time, the ruling government had harshly criticized the prosecutor's move, later dismissing him from the case. Sarıkaya later fled the country on September 27, 2015 while under investigation as part of a FETÖ-linked case. After the incident, a law was passed which stipulated that MİT officials could only be investigated upon the permission of the prime minister.

Nearly a month-and-a-half after the MİT incident, on March 25, 2012, Erdoğan also proclaimed that prep schools owned by the FETÖ network and operating in Turkey, would be closed down. Although FETÖ followers initially did not show a strong reaction, when then-National Education Minister Nabi Avcı made it official that these schools would be closed down, FETÖ's reaction to the government's move became stronger.

This time, in a counterattack in response to the closing of the prep schools, FETÖ used its members of the judiciary to open a corruption case into some members of the Cabinet. Then, Istanbul Prosecutors Zekeriya Öz and Celal Kara, who are now fugitives who reportedly live in Germany, launched the investigation, which targeted a list of names for prosecution, including Erdoğan's son Bilal. The aim was to establish a corruption link through Bilal, which would then be linked to his father. This attempt was also unsuccessful, as the police did not follow the prosecutor's orders. The government's swift response prevented coup followers from carrying out their goal of taking over the state, and a comprehensive investigation was launched to tackle the danger posed by Gülenists in positions within the judiciary, the police force, and institutions in education, media, security and business.

After this incident, which the government considered to be a breaking point, efforts to stop FETÖ members who had infiltrated nearly all government institutions intensified. Eventually, this led to the Gülenists being listed as a national security threat after the recommendation of the National Security Council (MGK) on May 27, 2016. The government immediately implemented measures in response to the MGK's recommendation.

  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    politics
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Spain's fires, Fashion Week and space flight: Weekly top photos
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021