Turkey warns of return of FETO terrorism to Sri Lanka

• On the occasion of the fourth year commemoration of the thwarted coup attempt on July 15, 2016

By R. Demet  Sekercioglu, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey

Today, we are commemorating the fourth anniversary of the thwarted coup attempt orchestrated by the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) on July 15^th, 2016 in Turkey. As one of the bloodiest terror attacks in our history, this heinous coup attempt claimed 251 innocent lives and wounded thousands, resulting a severe trauma for our nation.

To be able to avoid such tragedies in the future, it is imperative to understand the background of the catastrophe that shook our political, economic and social landscape, as well as the modus operandi of the maliciousterrorist organization behind it.The history of FETO goes back to 1970s. As a seemingly charitable organization, FETO initially started its operations through establishing schools in Turkey and later all around the world. As Fetullah Gülen, the ringleader of FETOand his sympathizers strengthened their power and infiltrated into the critical positions of the state system of Turkey, they did not abstain from taking drastic and extreme actions, especially after 2013.The education movement gradually turned into a secretive operational structure aiming to transform the society by taking control of the Turkish state from within, destroying democratic foundations of the Republic and establishing a new state under the absolute rule of Fetullah Gülen, whom it considers as “Imam of the Universe”.

Financing of these subversive activities was taken care of by holding companies and donations from business people. Media houses were established to shape the public opinion and soon became the focal point of the actions taken against journalists, academics, bureaucrats and military officers who opposed or tried to expose the organization. They were lynched and purged. FETO also started meddling in business transactions and government tender processes. Laundering enormous sums of money, arranging illegal transfers of cash and other financial crimes became business as usual. FETO members infiltrating critical state posts abused their power to eliminate who opposed the organization, by illegal wiretapping, fabricating evidence, unlawful arrests, thereby intimidating and blackmailing a large segment of the society. The final straw was the coup attempt on July 15^th 2016 and since then, Turkish government agencies have been struggling to decipher the dark sides of this cunning organization both in Turkey and in other countries where it still remains active.

The successful investigations conducted by the Turkish authorities to this endpaved the path tosignificantly limit the powers and operations of FETO within the Turkish soil. However, the organization has undergone a strategic transformation in order to survive by making use of its structure abroad. Actually, FETO hadestablished itself in around 160 countries including Sri Lanka, through schools, businesses, NGOs and media houses. The organization which has lost its backbone in Turkey, has been trying to maintain its presencein thesecountries. The modus operandi is the same all around the world. As FETO aims to infiltrate and enlarge its global economic and political influence, it constitutes a direct security threat for any country where they operate. And we, as the country which has most suffered from the malicious activities of FETO, are sparing no effort to warn our friends against the danger of this demonic organization.

As part of Turkey’s efforts to counter FETO’s operations outside Turkey, we have so far carried out approximately 16.000 initiatives at various levels in order to warn our international partners against the malicious activities of FETO. In order to limit the mobility of FETO affiliated individuals and entities, we have taken all the necessary administrative measures. Besides, we have requested the extradition and the freezing of the assets of FETO members from the countries where they are residing. Significant results of our official initiativesso far are evidentwhere several international organizations including Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Asian Parliamentary Assembly have adopted vital resolutions to declare FETO as a terrorist organization. Furthermore, in the wake of the intensive efforts of the relevant Turkish authorities in cooperation with the Turkish missions abroad, FETO affiliated schools and education centres in 38 countries were closed down or taken over by the relevant countries. In 20 of those countries, the affiliated schools and education centres have been transferred to the Turkish Maarif Foundation. Moreover, the said Foundation has opened schools in 22 countries.

FETO was also present in Sri Lanka through an affiliated school and some business organizations.Since the very first day, we have informedall relevant Sri Lankan authorities on the ways this terrorist organization is operating and provided all details of FETO affiliated entities and individuals in the island. We are pleased to note that our intensive efforts have eventually resulted in success. While deeply appreciating the cooperation and support extended by the Sri Lankan authorities to this end,it is also our duty to warn Sri Lanka that FETO members would without any doubt seek ways to return in this beautiful country, as soon as they feel that the attention is distracted in the future. Therefore, it is of great importance to continue to carry out surveillance on FETO affiliated individuals and entities. 

As a country which has witnessed almost thirty-year of civil war as well as a brutal terrorist attack on Easter Sunday in 2019, we are confident that Sri Lanka, more than any other country, would understand and continue to support Turkey’s efforts in fighting against FETO.