Six years have passed since the heinous coup attempt planned and carried out by the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO). On July 15, 2016, this clandestine faction who had infiltrated into the Turkish Armed Forces for more than 30 years, attempted to topple the democratically elected government and suspend the constitution of the Republic of Turkey.

The sinister plot was orchestrated by FETO’s ringleader, Fetullah Gülen, who has been living in Pennsylvania, United States, in a “self-imposed exile” since 1999 and is still sheltered there despite Turkey’s efforts for his extradition. That night, his disciples within the armed forces bombarded the National Parliament, the Presidential Complex, the headquarters of the armed forces, the police and the intelligence. They tried to abduct and assassinate the President of the Republic. These terrorists, under the guise of military uniforms, did not shy away from dastardly attacking innocent civilians and the patriots in the armed forces, killing 251 and wounding thousands in the process.

The coup attempt, which lasted for less than 12 hours, was thwarted thanks to brave millions from all walks of life, who selflessly rushed to the streets that night to resist the plotters and defend Turkey’s democracy and constitutional order. The FETO putschists were defeated by the courage and sacrifices of the Turkish people, who came together to reclaim the assault on their freedom, honour and dignity.

The national unity of the people against FETO’s heinous attempt that night is commemorated each year on July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day. On its sixth anniversary this year, the entire Turkish nation, along with her friends around the globe, will remember that night of defiance and triumph of Turkish democracy.

FETO’s sinister tactics

It would be a mistake to judge the deeds of FETO and its ringleader Fetullah Gülen only with what transpired on July 15, 2016, as the crimes committed that night are just the tip of the iceberg.

It all started under the guise charitable education movement in the 1970s when Gülen and his followers began a campaign to establish schools in Turkey and later around the globe. At the peak of their power, they controlled thousands of schools in Turkey and more than 800 educational institutes worldwide. We now understand that this was actually a sinister recruitment and infiltration campaign with the end goal of controlling the Turkish state. FETO recruited children and their parents with the promises of better education and good jobs and by abusing their religious sentiments. These children who were exposed to heavy indoctrination were converted into obeying foot soldiers serving Fetullah Gülen and his “messianic” mission depicting himself as the ‘Imam of the Universe’.

FETO members were told to operate undercover and transgress all ethical, religious and personal beliefs to achieve their end goal. Using all means such as fraud in entrance exams, they gradually infiltrated critical institutions in the country, from the military, judiciary and foreign service to the business world and media. Loyal not to the state but only to their ringleader, they expanded their secretive organisation and became very strong within the state machinery. High-ranking FETO members in state institutions abused their office by using treacherous methods such as blackmailing, wiretapping and unlawful arrests to purge other officials and civil servants who were deemed to be a threat to them. Their media outlets did not refrain from suppressing and lynching those who were against or critical of them. As the organisation became more affluent, it started meddling in business transactions and government tender processes. Money laundering, illegal cash transfers and other financial crimes became business as usual.

The July 15 coup attempt was FETO’s desperate final move to capture the state forcefully. The Turkish government had discovered and listed most of those disciples, especially among military ranks, and was getting ready to dismiss them. In the past six years since then, the fight against FETO, inside and outside Turkey, has constituted one of the country’s main priorities. Within this framework, FETO’s illegal and clandestine infiltration into governmental institutions has been unveiled; several judicial processes and investigations were carried out in the country, and many of its members were brought to justice based on the rule of law.

Having lost its backbone in Turkey, the organisation is now trying to survive abroad. Having footholds in around 160 countries with thousands of educational and business outfits, FETO poses a severe threat to the security of countries where it remains active. Since the coup attempt, the Turkish government has continuously informed the international community, including our Nepali friends, about this new generation of transnational terrorist organisations, which does not hesitate to violate the host countries’ laws to expand its political and economic zone of influence.

Fortunately, during the past six years, FETO-affiliated schools and education centres in more than 40 countries were closed down or taken over by the relevant authorities of the concerned governments. Business enterprises linked to FETO have also lost their power to a large extent in many countries where they used to operate freely. However, this organisation is still active with its education, business and media outfits in tens of countries worldwide and has the potential to threaten the respective countries.

Our effort to entirely eliminate the structures of FETO abroad constitutes a long-term fight. Our struggle against this menace has taught us the necessity of solid international cooperation in counterterrorism efforts. Since no cause or goal justifies terrorism, we expect the international community to denounce all forms of terrorism without discrimination. The Turkish government will resolutely maintain its efforts in that regard.