Police forces alleged to be under Gülen
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Daily News with wires
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 16, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Police intelligence units are alleged to be under the command of names close to Fethullah Gülen, the leader of an Islamic movement suspected to have connections with the government and some media institutions, said former Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz on a television program Wednesday night.
Yılmaz, currently an independent deputy from the Black Sea province of Rize, based his statements on allegations of some police department members. "Some information from police sources has come in saying there is some kind of organization within police forces." Yılmaz said.
Journal alleges Gülen involvement
Meanwhile, in the winter issue of the pro-Israeli journal, Middle East Quarterly, an article by Rachel Sharon-Krespin also alleged that the Gülen movement had "made inroads into Turkey’s 200,000- strong police force."
According to Nurettin Veren, Gülen’s right-hand man for 35 years, "There are imam security directors, imams wearing police uniforms. Many police commissioners get their orders from imams," wrote Sharon-Krespin.
The article also refers to an interview with Adil Serdar Saçan, former director of the organized crimes unit in the Istanbul Police Department to underline the pro-Gülen organization within the department.
Organizing within the police since 1970s
"Fethullahists began organizing inside the security apparatus in the 1970s. In police academies, class commissioners were taking students to Gülen’s dormitories. One of those commissioners is now the director of intelligence at the Turkish Directorate of Security," said Saçan, who is currently under arrest because of an alleged link with the Ergenekon gang under legal scrutiny.
Sharon-Krespin also wrote that wiretapping scandals in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Gülen community members’ penetration of the most important units of the police force.
"The alleged network of Fethullah followers in the security system has an impact on domestic affairs, as they use restricted technology or privileged information to further their political agenda," she wrote, giving the example of the voice recording of a secret speech by Brig. Gen. Münir Ertan, announcing the timing of an upcoming Turkish military operation into northern Iraq. Some Web sites had posted the speech of Ertan.
Journal alleges Gülen involvement
Meanwhile, in the winter issue of the pro-Israeli journal, Middle East Quarterly, an article by Rachel Sharon-Krespin also alleged that the Gülen movement had "made inroads into Turkey’s 200,000- strong police force."
According to Nurettin Veren, Gülen’s right-hand man for 35 years, "There are imam security directors, imams wearing police uniforms. Many police commissioners get their orders from imams," wrote Sharon-Krespin.
The article also refers to an interview with Adil Serdar Saçan, former director of the organized crimes unit in the Istanbul Police Department to underline the pro-Gülen organization within the department.
Organizing within the police since 1970s
"Fethullahists began organizing inside the security apparatus in the 1970s. In police academies, class commissioners were taking students to Gülen’s dormitories. One of those commissioners is now the director of intelligence at the Turkish Directorate of Security," said Saçan, who is currently under arrest because of an alleged link with the Ergenekon gang under legal scrutiny.
Sharon-Krespin also wrote that wiretapping scandals in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Gülen community members’ penetration of the most important units of the police force.
"The alleged network of Fethullah followers in the security system has an impact on domestic affairs, as they use restricted technology or privileged information to further their political agenda," she wrote, giving the example of the voice recording of a secret speech by Brig. Gen. Münir Ertan, announcing the timing of an upcoming Turkish military operation into northern Iraq. Some Web sites had posted the speech of Ertan.