Turkish fugitive Muhammed Fethullah Gülen, Islamic scholar, preacher, and a one-time opinion leader and the de facto leader of the Gülen movement have been identified as the man that led to the extradition of controversial businessman Harun Aydin to Turkey by Kenyan authorities.
According to details seen by the Standard, billionaire businessman Fethullah Gülen, founder of Gulen Movement – an international, faith-based civil society organization once aligned with Turkey’s government, but since then outlawed for engaging in terror activities, had contracted Aydin to run his business errands in East Africa.
Sources revealed that Gülen contracted Harun Aydin following the extradition to Turkey of his nephew Selahaddin Gulen by the Kenyan government in May following an Interpol Red Notice (IRN) issued at Turkey’s request.
According to court documents seen by the Standard, Selahaddin arrived in Nairobi from the US on October 17, 2020, and was arrested before being freed on bail two days later. He later moved to court and obtained an order that banned Kenyan authorities from arresting and extraditing him to Turkey.
However, with the help of Kenyan authorities, Selahaddin Gulen was extracted from Nairobi by the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) and extradited to Turkey where he is facing terrorism charges. At the time of his arrest, he was a teacher at Fethullah Gulen’s Light International School in Nairobi.
According to an undisclosed security source, Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) debriefed him, leading to a disturbing disclosure of his activities in Nairobi. Selahaddin, “a covert imam”, had established elaborate political and business contacts in East Africa that enabled FETÖ ringleader Fethullah Gülen to move billions of shillings across the world.
Besides teaching at Light International School, Selahaddin ran several businesses registered under the name of his Kenyan fiancée whom he married shortly after arriving in Nairobi. The businesses were being run by Harun Aydin until 8th August 2021 when he was arrested on his way back from Uganda at Wilson Airport and handed over to Turkish authorities in Ankara.
In his statement at the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Selahaddin Gülen avowed that he was the nephew of FETÖ ringleader Fetullah Gülen and that he had been in the organization since the day he was born.
Giving a confessional statement to officials, Selahaddin Gülen disclosed the names of dozens of “covert imams” related to the terror group, their duties in the organization, and their actions in full detail.
Drawing the scheme of the “covert structure” of the terror group, Selahaddin Gülen said that he attended the family meetings of the organization and that the words of the ringleader were conveyed at these meetings.
Gülen said that these meetings were organized to recruit members to FETÖ. He also added that the “covert structure” made contacts with cadets through payphones and that these students were later interviewed at predetermined houses. Turkish authorities indicated that Mr. Selahaddin was not only a member of a terrorist group but was – like his uncle Fethullah – very influential too.
According to a news agency in Turkey, Ankara spies are tracking down four accomplices of Selahaddin Gülen and Harun Aydin believed to be operating in Kenya, Uganda, Congo, and Zanzibar posing as investors. According to Turkish authorities, Gülen Movement has 3-to-6 million-strong followers across the world.
Fethullah Gülen has however maintained his innocence, claiming that his movement is a peaceful network of charities and companies, and denies any links to the 2016 coup bid in Turkey. But President Erdogan, who once was allied with Gulen, describes him now as the leader of a “terrorist” group that is seeking to infiltrate and overthrow his government.
The Turkish government stated that a coup attempt in July 2016 had been organized by Gülen and/or his movement.
Turkish prosecutors accuse Gülen of attempts to overthrow the government by allegedly directing politically motivated corruption investigations by Gülen-linked investigators then in the judiciary, who illegally wiretapped the executive office of the Turkish president, and, with assistance from unnamed individuals in the American intelligence community.
A Turkish criminal court has issued an arrest warrant for Gülen, demanding the extradition of Gülen from the United States.
MUHAMMED FETHULLAH GÜLEN
Profile• Muhammed Fethullah Gülen is a TurkishIslamicscholar, preacher, and a one-time opinion leader (as de facto leader of the Gülen movement: an international, faith-based civil society organization once aligned with Turkey’s government, but since then outlawed as an alleged “armed terrorist group”).• Gülen founded the Gülen movement (known as the hizmet, meaning service in Turkish), which is a 3-to-6 million strong, volunteer-based movement in Turkey and around the world. (All Hizmet’s schools, foundations and other entities in Turkey have been closed by the Turkish government following the 2016 Turkish coup d’état attempt).• The Turkish government stated that a coup attempt in July 2016 had been organized by Gülen and/or his movement.• Turkish prosecutors accuse Gülen of attempts to overthrow the government by allegedly directing politically motivated corruption investigations by Gülen-linked investigators then in the judiciary, who illegally wiretapped the executive office of the Turkish president, and, with assistance from unnamed individuals in the American intelligence community.• A Turkish criminal court has issued an arrest warrant for Gülen. Turkey is demanding the extradition of Gülen from the United States.
Terrorism• Gülen is wanted as a terrorist leader in Turkeyand Pakistan as well as by the governments of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Turkey Issues a Warrant for Fethullah Gulen, Cleric Accused in Coup https://www.nytimes.com/svc/oembed/html/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2016%2F08%2F05%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fturkey-erdogan-fethullah-gulen.html#?secret=0kdhlmx472https://www.youtube.com/embed/lrJRKZOA28U?feature=oembed
Turkey President blames Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen for coup https://www.youtube.com/embed/wa6Xg9tHgIQ?feature=oembed
Fethullah Gulen explained https://www.youtube.com/embed/0EwxogBI-1g?feature=oembed
Links To Kenya
Turkey has put pressure on many countries, especially in the Balkans, Central Asia and Africa, to close schools linked to the Gulenist movement.
Kenya refused in 2016 to close six establishments, despite Ankara’s insistence.
In May 2021, Turkish spies snatched a nephew of a long-time foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Kenya and brought him back to Turkey,
Since 2016, Turkey has arrested tens of thousands of people suspected to have links to Gulen.
Turkish state news agency Anadolu said Selahaddin Gulen was brought back to Turkey by agents from the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), quoting unnamed security sources.
In a video posted on social media on May 20, Selahaddin’s wife confirmed the couple lived in Kenya and that she had not heard from her husband, who taught at a school in Nairobi, since May 3.
Individuals and media linked to Gulen’s movement said on social media that Selahaddin had been “kidnapped” in Kenya, as they launched a campaign calling for his release.
Selahaddin Gulen is accused of belonging to the “FETO terrorist organisation”, the description used by Ankara for Fethullah Gulen’s movement.
The preacher, who lives in Pennsylvania, insists he is the head of a peaceful network of charities and companies, and denies any links to the 2016 coup bid.
But Erdogan, who once was allied with Gulen, describes him now as the leader of a “terrorist” group which is seeking to infiltrate and overthrow his government.
A Kenyan court on May 6 banned Selahaddin Gulen’s arrest and extradition to Turkey, according to legal documents seen by AFP.
The court also ordered the return of his passport and said he should be allowed to return to the United States.
Selahaddin, for whom an Interpol red notice was issued at Turkey’s request, arrived in Nairobi on October 17, 2020, and was arrested before he was freed on bail two days later.
Since 2016, more than 140,000 public sector workers including teachers and judges have also been sacked or suspended over suspected Gulen ties.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210531-turkey-snatches-nephew-of-erdogan-foe-in-kenya
Turkish defense firm signs a contract to provide armored vehicles Kenya days after kidnapping of Gulen’s nephewhttps://turkeypurge.com/turkish-defense-firm-signs-a-contract-to-provide-armored-vehicles-kenya-days-after-kidnapping-of-gulens-nephew/embed#?secret=x3lSPkELUh
Turkish secret agents snatch Fethullah Gulen’s nephew in Kenya
Schools linked to exiled cleric spark Turkey, Kenya tensions
Turkish authorities have stepped up the global pressure to close educational institutions associated with a movement of Gulen followers including six Kenyan schools operating under the name of Light Academy and Light International School.
Reuters quoted a Foreign Affairs source saying that the Turkish ambassador has been seeking a meeting since July 15 but this is yet to be scheduled.
The request for a meeting comes with Kenya having failed to act on previous requests from Turkey to close the schools.
The schools, based in Nairobi, Mombasa and Malindi, were set up from 1998 by the Omeriye Foundation and offer the Kenyan 8-4-4 curriculum as well as the British curriculum.
Since the coup, the Turkey government has gone after Gulen-linked schools across the world. Somalia has since shut down the schools. Pakistan has handed over the schools to a Turkish government organization. Nigeria and the US are yet to make a decision while Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have rebuffed the requests.
Gulen’s schools. The charismatic preacher and his secretive educational empire https://www.youtube.com/embed/YcoX9OKung4?feature=oembed
FETHULLAH GULEN-CS MATIANGI STATEMENT ON HARUN AYDIN TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL SECURITY
On 13th, August, 2021, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, came out to dispel reports that the Kenyan Government had apologised for the deportation of Turkish terror suspect Harun Aydin and also shed light on the controversial removal of the Turkish businessman from the country.
I the presser the Interior CS reiterated that the Government had handed over Harun Aydin to the Turkish government for interrogation.
Matiang’i Reveals Intrigues behind Turkish Harun Aydin’s Deportation
Speaking before a parliamentary committee in Mombasa on Friday, August 13, the CS stated that Aydin was removed following an agreement between Kenya and the Turkish government.
The CS explained that Kenya was to charge Aydin with money laundering and terrorism-related crimes, but a standing agreement between the two countries saw him handed over to Turkish authorities for interrogation and subsequent action.
“We deported him on the understanding we had with the government. We mutually agreed with the Turkish government to surrender him to their security agencies to process him,” the Interior CS stated.
REF:
Why we deported Turkish man Harun Aydin – Interior CS Fred Matiang’i
Speaking to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security
CS Matiang’i says Aydin wasn’t arraigned and prosecuted in a Kenyan law court because of the good relationship that Kenya and Turkey enjoys, which the former did not want to jeorpadise.
“Security agencies in our country were in touch with security agencies in his country [so that we could take the most appropriate action]. We do that (involve a foreign country when their citizen is linked to an unlawful activity in Kenya) on the basis of mutuality. That happens all the time.”
“We surrendered him to his country so that they could deal with him. Turkey is one of our prominent [trade] partners and our relationship with them is growing. It is a country we have close relations with.”
REF:
Matiangi Says Harun Aydin Was A Money Laundering Suspect, No Apology To Make
Fred Matiangi insists that the Turk was deported in line with a mutual agreement between Kenya and the Turkish government.
“The phone numbers Harun Aydin filled on his work permit were ringing with other people. We were ready to charge him in a court of law, but we also have a mutual relationship with the Turkish Government so they requested to deal with him in their country,” said the Interior Cabinet Secretary.
REF: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2021/08/matiangi-says-harun-aydin-was-a-money-laundering-suspect-no-apology-to-make/embed/#?secret=SsrEgJEPph
CS Matiang’i admits Harun Aydin has work permit, explains why the Turk is dangerous to the country
The CS took the opportunity to confirm that indeed the government deported Harun.
“We deported him but with an understanding of the Turkish government. When we arrested him, we communicated with the Turkish security authorities in Turkey.”
“We were in constant communication and we eventually in mutual agreement decided that we should hand him over to their citizens.”
“We were ready to charge him in our courts but after advice from our legal team and after the mutual agreement we handed him over,” he explained.
REF:
CS Matiang’i admits Harun Aydin has work permit , explains why the Turk is dangerous to the country
https://www.k24tv.co.ke/news/cs-matiangi-admits-harun-aydin-has-work-permit-explains-why-the-turk-is-dangerous-to-the-country-42508/embed/#?secret=mAlHyhmC2D
Video
Interior CS Fred Matiangi says Kenya won’t apologize over Turkish Harun Aydin’s “deportation”. https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Tr5RlFwXo4?feature=oembed
CS Matiang’i: Government of Kenya has not apologized, there is a way Govts. deal with each other https://www.youtube.com/embed/LlHFWioaIR4?feature=oembed
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