Gulen elements wiretapped the President’s calls, Turkish envoy to Somalia says

Elements linked to the US based Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen have manipulated the Turkish society by infiltrating the system through a number of ways including wiretapping the President and Prime Minister’s calls, Turkish envoy to Somalia has said.

Speaking during a press conference in Mogadishu Saturday, Olga Baker said Gulen’s movement now identified by Turkish authorities as Fetullah Terrorist Organisation, FETO has employed strategies to undermine the state deploying both members in the military and state bureaucracy.

“FETO has so far carried out illegal organisations appearing to be legal. In this regard the acts of the organisation include wiretapping communication of politicians from both ruling and opposition particularly the President, Prime Minister and members of government, businessmen, and using this to advance the aims of the organisation,” said Baker.

Baker also noted FETO has ensured its members gain entry en mass to the civil service by manipulating entry exams held by public institutions. FETO also colludes with judges to effect illegal release orders of their members in the event they are detained, said Baker.

The envoy’s statements come in the wake of sustained crackdown by the Turkish government on organisations, media houses, and members of the civil service and the disciplined forces who are suspected to be linked to the cleric based in Pennsylvania, US.

In Somalia, the government ordered exit from the country those working in Gulen funded institutions which included a hospital and two schools. The institutions have since been put under the management of the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu.

Baker said investigations conducted far and wide have strongly pointed to FETO as mastermind of the July 15 failed coup attempt which claimed 160 lives and injured some 2500 others.

“Some members of the organisation whose statements have been taken within the scope of the investigations confess the coup attempt was carried out by FETO,” said Baker.

The envoy said although the failed coup attempt was led by FETO within the military, there was ‘a strong suspicion that other members within the state bureaucracy supported the attempt in one way of another’. This, the ambassador noted necessitated caution since there could be a possibility of another coup.