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U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, the main
suspect behind the bloody July 15 coup attempt, is more dangerous than
former al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, Turkish EU minister has said,
criticizing the bloc for failing to stand by Turkey during the unrest.
suspect behind the bloody July 15 coup attempt, is more dangerous than
former al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, Turkish EU minister has said,
criticizing the bloc for failing to stand by Turkey during the unrest.
“The head of the terrorists, Fethullah Gülen is more dangerous than Osama Bin Laden,” he told a news conference on July 23.
The minister said he was surprised by the lack of visits from senior European Union figures one week on from the attempted coup.
“We
would expect officials of the European Union, European Parliament and
European Council to visit Turkey to voice their support for the common
democratic values we share by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with
Turkey.”
However, Çelik thanked all Turkey’s allies for their messages of support.
“There
is no doubt that the values in danger are the common values of all of
us,” Çelik said, adding: “We have enough power to protect our own
democracy.”
Çelik said the aim of the current
state of emergency is “to protect democracy, to protect the state of
law, to protect the rights and liberties of our citizens and to protect
peace in our country.”
