Greece is safe haven for FETÖ terrorists: Turkish Foreign Ministry
ANKARA- Anadolu Agency
It is observed that Greece has become a haven for the members of the FETÖ, the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said on March 12.
Hami Aksoy responded to a question in a written statement and said FETÖ propaganda was made public in an online event held in Greece.
“It is a grave development that broadcasting the video message of the FETÖ ringleader [Fetullah Gülen] making terrorist propaganda, which could not be explained by freedom of press and expression,” Aksoy stressed.
“It is observed that Greece has become a safe haven for FETÖ members. FETÖ members can roam freely in this country, and so-called NGOs affiliated with FETÖ can carry out aid activities for fugitive FETÖ members in Greece,” Aksoy said.
He said the YPG/PKK and DHKP-C terror organizations also continue activities in Greece.
Underlining that FETÖ is a putschist international terror organization, he said FETÖ is a threat to countries where it carries out activities.
“Turkey expects cooperation from all countries in the fight against this criminal organization,” he said.
He urged Greece to meet Turkey’s demands for the return of FETÖ members, freeze assets, prevent making its propaganda, financing and recruitment activities and end activities of terror organizations in Greece.
Gülen sent a video message to an online promotional event in Athens for a book written about him.
"Greece is a sister country," Gülen said. “Thanks to this brotherhood, we remember them with gratitude and appreciation. [What Greece did] will be written on the glorious pages of history with gold and silver.”
The book, Fethullah Gülen: A Life of Service, was written by U.S. historian Jon Pahl and translated into Greek by Papazisis Publishers in Greece.
FETÖ and Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people killed and 2,734 injured.
Ankara accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Thousands of FETÖ members fled to Greece after the coup attempt.