US-based FETÖ leader Gülen will come to Turkey ‘sooner or later,’ Erdoğan says

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said the end was near for members of FETÖ, widely believed to have been behind the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

“I am telling all FETÖ members inside and outside of our country: Your end is near. You have nowhere to go, no step to take,” Erdoğan said on Jan. 9 at a symposium on local authorities under the new presidential system.

“I don’t know when those stood behind FETÖ [leader Gülen] will continue supporting him, but he will come here [to Turkey] sooner or later,” he added.

Erdoğan said the ringleaders of FETÖ “bailed on” other members of the organization and had to flee to countries which they think are “safe.”

“We will flush all of them out and bring to them justice. They will pay the price of their betrayal to our country by being put behind bars,” the president stated.

Erdoğan said that offers are being made from different countries regarding cooperative action against FETÖ.

“The real danger is infiltrated enemies. FETÖ is the most recent example of this,” he said.

The president also recalled that members of FETÖ have been removed from public offices and the same will be done in municipalities.

“I hope that the remaining parts of FETÖ will be removed from municipalities on March 31 by our nation,” he added, referring to the upcoming local elections to be held on March 31.

The Turkish government 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.