Former Constitutional Court head Kılıç dismisses his son’s alleged links to Gülen

Oya Armutçu - ANKARA

Former head of Turkey’s Constitutional Court Haşim Kılıç has dismissed allegations that his son, Fatih Samed Kılıç, has links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETÖ) after an arrest warrant was issued for his son for allegedly using ByLock, an encrypted smartphone messaging application used almost exclusively by Gülen network affiliates to communicate, and maintaining ties to the group.

“My son has been working abroad over the past 12 years. He lived in Dubai for five years and he is in Mexico now. He has never had any links to FETÖ whatsoever,” Haşim Kılıç said on Jan. 27.

“I spent most of my 42 years of state service at the Constitutional Court. As the former head of the Constitutional Court, which foiled conspiracies planned by FETÖ, such as Balyoz [Sledgehammer], and Ergenekon coup plot cases under my chairmanship, I am deeply saddened by the accusations directed at my son,” Kılıç said.

“It is also interesting that similar allegations have been circulating since I retired from office. All this aims at defaming myself and my family,” Kılıç added.

FETÖ, under the leadership of the U.S.-based Fethullah Gülen, is widely believed to have been behind the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that left 250 people dead and nearly 2,200 wounded.

Since the coup attempt, more than 50,000 people, including civil servants and security personnel, have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 were suspended or dismissed from their jobs.

The Turkish government says the dismissals and arrests are necessary to fight against security threats Turkey has been experiencing since the attempted takeover.