Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric who founded a powerful Islamic movement in Turkey, passed away at the age of 83. He was accused by Turkish leader Reccep Tayyip Erdogan of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016, which Gulen denied. His movement, known as “Hizmet,” promoted a moderate form of Islam and emphasized education, free markets, and interfaith dialogue. Since the attempted coup, Gulen’s influence has declined in Turkey and internationally.
Gulen, born in 1941, rose to prominence as a preacher in the 1960s and established a network of schools, businesses, and institutions that spread globally. He was once a close ally of Erdogan but tensions between them escalated in 2013 when corruption probes emerged targeting Erdogan’s allies. After the 2016 coup, Erdogan declared Gulen’s followers as traitors and conducted a widespread crackdown, arresting thousands and closing down institutions linked to Gulen. The Turkish government labeled Gulen’s movement as a terrorist group.
Gulen, who lived in the U.S. since 1999, faced extradition requests from Turkey but maintained his innocence and denied involvement in the coup attempt. He became an isolated figure in Turkey, hated by Erdogan’s supporters and seen as undermining the secular republic by the opposition. Despite the pressure, Gulen remained in the U.S. for medical treatment and said he had no intentions of fleeing to avoid extradition. He passed away in a U.S. hospital while undergoing treatment.
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