Who is Fethullah Gülen?

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, and his associates quickly attributed the responsibility for the failed coup in the country to what they call the "parallel state." They claim that the "parallel state" intends to overthrow Erdoğan's government. While this type of ambiguity and reference in language may be confusing for individuals living outside Turkey, it was familiar to the 75-year-old Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania, USA. Shortly after the first references from Turkish officials to the "parallel state," Fethullah Gülen denied any involvement in the failed coup. Gülen stated, "Accusing someone who has suffered from several military coups over the past five decades of any connection to such actions is insulting." He firmly rejected such accusations. But who is Fethullah Gülen, and why does Erdoğan hold him and his movement responsible for the recent failed coup in Turkey? Gülen, who has been in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, was previously an ally of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and helped him come to power in 2002. However, their alliance reportedly fell apart due to disagreements over power-sharing and Erdoğan's specific leadership style. These disputes reached a point where, in May of this year, Gülen's "Hizmet Movement" was recognized as a terrorist group in Turkey. Fethullah Gülen, a cleric and theologian who first gained prominence in 1960 by leading the main mosque in Izmir, has lived in voluntary exile in the U.S. since 1999 after being accused of undermining secularism in Turkey. Although he was later acquitted in absentia, he remained in the United States and continued to lead one of the largest civil religious organizations in the Islamic world. Gülen's "Hizmet Movement" has thousands of supporters and financial backers and operates over a thousand educational centers that help students gain admission to universities. This movement, known for providing social services alongside conservative religious values, generally supports moderate Islam. However, due to its powerful network and influence among wealthy businessmen and educational institutions, it is viewed as a threat by some governments. Erdoğan has repeatedly condemned Gülen for alleged behind-the-scenes efforts to undermine his government, including in 2013 during an investigation into a scandal that implicated several of Erdoğan's associates in financial wrongdoing. This scandal also accused government officials of using state resources to buy gold and send it to Iran, not only to help Tehran circumvent international sanctions against its nuclear program but also to amass wealth. Educational centers supported by the Hizmet Movement are backed by merchants and businessmen, and the students studying in these centers are typically from poor backgrounds. Critics accuse Gülen of easily recruiting these individuals while his organization lacks a formal international structure or a list of official members. Members of this organization claim they are active together only because they have been influenced by Gülen's message of social services. Gülen's schools, which gained popularity in Central Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, were later taken over by governments in those regions on the grounds that they promoted Islamist activities. However, this movement has faced more backlash in Turkey than anywhere else. The Erdoğan government has repeatedly condemned Gülen's followers for abusing their positions within the state structure to weaken and usurp the government. This scandal became public after the dismissal of several prosecutors and senior government officials involved in investigating the corruption case. Erdoğan told the public that this was necessary to protect Turkey from the "dark forces" that are destroying the country. Last year, Erdoğan also succeeded in removing Gülen's schools from the oversight of the "Hizmet Movement" by appointing a government board of trustees. After the recent failed coup in Turkey, all signs indicate that Erdoğan intends to eradicate the Gülen movement within the country. Umit Dundar, the new Chief of General Staff of the Turkish Army, announced on July 16 that the force intends to remove members of the "parallel state" from its structure. Binali Yildirim, the Prime Minister of Turkey, also told reporters on the same day that any country that shelters Fethullah Gülen is not among Turkey's friends. However, he refrained from mentioning the United States, where Gülen resides. Ankara had previously expressed hope that Washington would allow Gülen's extradition to Ankara. Yildirim also indirectly criticized the U.S. for ignoring Ankara's previous concerns about Gülen, stating, "This issue has caused us to pay a high price." Washington has yet to respond to this indirect criticism. In the same context, the continued arrests of generals and prosecutors in Turkey, the dismissal of 30 governors and eight thousand police officers in Turkey, and Turkish media reporting that the former air force commander denied involvement in the coup are noteworthy.