Gülen network ordered its members to stay in Schengen area and African countries: Turkish FM

Sevil Erkuş – ANKARA

The Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) instructed its members to stay in Europe’s Schengen area and some African countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu has claimed.

“We can clearly see which countries in Europe, in the Schengen area, and in Africa have been protecting FETÖ, and the countries they chose as their base,” Çavuşoğlu told lawmakers in the Turkish parliament on Nov. 16.

The minister did not specifically elaborate on the countries he accused of harboring FETÖ members, but said the government has been engaging with their respective authorities on the issue.

Schools and language training centers affiliated with the Gülen network have been closed down in 15 countries, he said, noting that the schools were handed over to the “Education Foundation” (Maarif Vakfı) in seven countries, along with processes ongoing in three countries.

Some 25 percent of the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s staff has been suspended after investigations into FETÖ links inside the ministry, the minister said, noting that these actions were based on “serious facts and documents” and that “a commission was established at the ministry for the evaluation of objections.”

Çavuşoğlu said one ministry employee, who had not been subjected to any investigations over FETÖ connections, has recently gone on the run.

The U.S.-based Fethullah Gülen is the leading suspect in cases into the July 15, 2016 coup attempt.