Claims about former AKP MPs’ links to Gülen removed from Turkish coup panel report

Umut Erdem – ANKARA

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Claims regarding two former ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers’ links to the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen were removed from a report prepared by the parliamentary commission formed to investigate the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt.  

The allegations that Cemil Çiçek and Abdülkadir Aksu acted on the orders of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) were involved in the draft report of the commission on the coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by Gülenists. 

In the report released on May 26, the section that included mention of Çiçek and Aksu was removed. 

The draft report, which was released in December last year, included claims from former Gülenist-turned-confessor and writer Nurettin Veren’s book “FETÖ” regarding the former deputies. 

“Cemil Çiçek, Abdülkadir Aksu, Ali Coşkun, Ali Talip Özdemir came to see Fethullah Gülen and said, ‘You are close to the DYP [True Path Party]. Should we enter the DYP or ANAP [Motherland Party]?’ These people entered ANAP upon Gülen’s orders and despite [the wishes of former Prime Minister] Tansu Çiller,” reads the part in Veren’s book. 

After it was emerged that Veren’s claims were included in the report, Çiçek dismissed the allegations as “utter nonsense” and criticized the decision to feature it in the commission’s draft report.

“When ANAP was being founded, there wasn’t even a party called the DYP. There was the Great Turkey Party, but neither Tansu Çiller nor Özer Çiller were in question. Ali Talip Özdemir wasn’t even around when I was involved in politics in ANAP. If imaginary stories are included it will weaken the commission’s report,” Çiçek had previously said.