Fethullah Gulen, rival of Turkey's Erdogan, dies in US at 83

ISTANBUL,— Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Islamic cleric who once wielded significant influence in Turkey before falling from grace after being accused of masterminding a failed coup attempt in 2016, passed away at the age of 83. Gulen, who had been living in self-imposed exile in the United States for over two decades, died in a hospital on Sunday evening, according to the Herkul website, which regularly posted his sermons.

Once a close ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Gulen’s relationship with the Turkish leader soured dramatically, leading to mutual accusations and a deep political rift. Erdogan has long blamed Gulen and his movement, known as “Hizmet” (meaning “service” in Turkish), for orchestrating the coup attempt, in which more than 250 people lost their lives. The failed uprising saw rogue elements of the Turkish military seize tanks, helicopters, and warplanes in an attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen, who had been residing in the U.S. since 1999, consistently denied any involvement in the coup plot.

Gulen’s movement, Hizmet, aimed to promote a moderate form of Islam, advocating for Western-style education, free markets, and interfaith dialogue. It also gained considerable influence through a vast network of schools, businesses, and media outlets, both in Turkey and internationally. At its height, the Hizmet movement extended its reach across Central Asia, the Balkans, Africa, and the West. However, in the aftermath of the 2016 coup attempt, the Turkish government moved swiftly to dismantle the movement, closing down schools, media outlets, and businesses linked to Gulen.

Born in 1941 in the eastern Turkish province of Erzurum, Gulen was the son of an imam and began studying the Koran at a young age. He was appointed as an imam himself in 1959 in Edirne, and later gained popularity as a preacher in the western city of Izmir during the 1960s. It was here that he began organizing student dormitories, which later evolved into a vast network of educational institutions. Over the years, his movement’s influence expanded into many sectors of Turkish society, including education, business, media, and even the military.

For years, Gulen and Erdogan were political allies, with Gulen’s followers supporting Erdogan’s rise to power. However, their alliance came to a dramatic end in 2013 when corruption investigations targeting Erdogan’s inner circle surfaced. These investigations were widely believed to be orchestrated by members of the Hizmet movement embedded within Turkey’s judiciary and police. In response, Erdogan labeled the movement a terrorist organization in 2014, and an arrest warrant was issued for Gulen. The animosity between the two leaders reached its peak following the failed coup in 2016, with Erdogan describing Gulen’s network as traitors and likening it to “a cancer” that needed to be eradicated.

In the aftermath of the coup attempt, the Turkish government initiated a massive crackdown, arresting more than 77,000 individuals and suspending or dismissing over 150,000 public employees, including teachers, judges, and soldiers. Companies and media outlets linked to Gulen were seized by the state, and efforts were made to extradite Gulen from the U.S., although these attempts were unsuccessful.

Despite being isolated in his compound in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Gulen continued to deny any involvement in the 2016 coup. In a 2017 interview, he condemned the coup attempt and stated he had no plans to leave the U.S., even as his health deteriorated. Gulen remained a divisive figure in Turkey until his death, vilified by Erdogan’s supporters and shunned by much of the opposition, who saw his network as undermining Turkey’s secular republic.

Gulen’s death marks the end of a significant chapter in modern Turkish history, but the legacy of his movement, both in Turkey and abroad, remains a topic of intense debate.

(With files from Reuters)