President Erdoğan warns US over Gülen network activities in country

NEW YORK – Anadolu Agency

AA photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sept. 20 warned the United States over the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), widely believed to have orchestrated the deadly coup attempt of July 15, 2016, saying they would eventually see the real face of the organization.

Erdoğan will discuss bilateral ties with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at a head-to-head meeting in New York City on the night of Sept. 21, according to the Turkish Presidency.

“Everyone should see and understand that there is no difference between FETÖ, ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] and the PKK [outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party]. FETÖ puts its signature on many cases of fraud and irregularity in the U.S. alongside the pains it inflicted on Turkey,” he said during a speech at a dinner by the TÜRKEN Foundation in New York City.

Erdoğan said activities in FETÖ schools had begun to be revealed.

“Our friends from the U.S. did not understand it [FETÖ activities] or do not want to understand. We see that. Theft in these schools is starting to slowly be revealed, being reported by the press and discussed by the public. I believe that our friends from the U.S. would see the real face of this organization in the not-so-distant future,” he added.

Erdoğan also said that some groups supported the spread of FETÖ’s lies due to hostility against him, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Turkey.

“The organization continues its black propaganda activities from both the U.S. and different areas across the world at full steam. Reality is an antidote of lies. There is no darkness that can resist the reality of sunlight,” he added.   

Erdoğan and Trump are scheduled to meet at 10:00 p.m. in the Lotte New York Palace Hotel and make a joint statement, said sources from the presidency, who spoke on conditions of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Erdoğan and Trump are expected to discuss global and bilateral issues. The latter includes the extradition of U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, leader of FETÖ and the withdrawal of a proposal on selling weapons to President Erdoğan’s security guards.

Erdoğan attended the United Nation General Assembly earlier this week, delivering a speech at the general debate and holding bilateral meetings with world leaders.

He met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Moldovian Prime Minister Pavel Filip, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as part of his bilateral meetings.