Fethullah Gulen

Overview:

Muhammed Fethullah Gülen (April 27, 1941 – October 20, 2024) was a Turkish Islamic scholar, preacher, and leader of the Hizmet movement, a global network promoting education, interfaith dialogue, and civic engagement rooted in a moderate, Sufi-inspired interpretation of Islam. Once an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Gülen became a polarizing figure, accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt, leading to his designation as the head of a terrorist organization (FETÖ). He lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania from 1999 until his death. Allegations of connections to Al-Qaeda, particularly through the Tahşiye group, have been raised but are heavily disputed and lack conclusive evidence.

Personal Life:

Born in Korucuk, near Erzurum, Turkey, on April 27, 1941 (state documents confirm this date, though some early accounts cite November 10, 1938, possibly for political symbolism tied to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s death). Gülen was born to Ramiz, an imam, and Refia, a Qur’an teacher, in a conservative, Sufi-influenced community.

Gülen completed primary school but was unable to pursue formal secondary education due to his family’s relocation. He received informal religious education from his parents and local scholars, mastering Arabic and Qur’anic recitation. Influenced by Said Nursi’s Nur movement, which reconciled Islam with modernity, Gülen studied works by Nursi, Sufi poets, and Western thinkers like Kant, Shakespeare, and Sartre through self-education.

Gülen never married and lived a reclusive life in Pennsylvania, focusing on spiritual and intellectual pursuits. He authored numerous books, including Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism and Toward a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance. Gülen died on October 20, 2024, at age 83 in a U.S. hospital, likely from complications related to heart and kidney failure. His death was announced by Herkul, a website run by his followers.

Career:

• Early Preaching: In 1958, Gülen earned a state preacher’s license and began preaching in Edirne, later moving to Izmir in 1966. His sermons blended religious themes with social, economic, and scientific issues, attracting a wide audience, including academics and students. He established “ışık evleri” (lighthouses), boarding houses to support student education, laying the foundation for the Hizmet movement.

• Hizmet Movement: By the 1980s, Gülen’s followers built a global network of schools, charities, media outlets, and businesses in over 140 countries, with assets estimated at $20–50 billion by 2015. The movement emphasized education, interfaith dialogue, and a moderate Islam compatible with democracy and science. Gülen met with global religious leaders, including Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, to promote tolerance.

• Political Alliances and Fallout: Initially aligned with Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) from 2002, Gülen’s followers supported the AKP against Turkey’s secular elite, securing key government positions. The alliance fractured in 2011, culminating in 2013 when Hizmet-linked investigations exposed AKP corruption, prompting Erdoğan to curb the movement’s influence.

• Exile in the U.S.: In 1999, Gülen moved to Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, citing health reasons (heart condition and diabetes), though critics link his departure to a Turkish investigation for undermining the secular state. He was convicted in absentia in 2000. From his Pennsylvania compound, he continued leading Hizmet, issuing statements on peace and education.

2016 Coup Attempt and Aftermath:

Erdoğan accused Gülen of masterminding the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, which killed over 250 people and involved rogue military factions. The Turkish government labeled Hizmet the “Fethullahist Terror Organization” (FETÖ), arresting tens of thousands and purging over 100,000 from government, military, and education sectors. Gülen denied involvement, condemning the coup and accusing Erdoğan of exploiting it to consolidate power. U.S. authorities rejected Turkey’s extradition requests, citing insufficient evidence.

Supporters view Gülen as a peace advocate unjustly vilified, comparing him to figures like Gandhi or Rumi. Critics, including Erdoğan, likened him to Osama bin Laden, alleging he ran a covert network to seize state control. The crackdown targeted Hizmet’s schools, media (e.g., Zaman Daily), and businesses, with allegations of torture against detained followers.

Lawsuit of Al-Qaeda Connections:

In 2015, two law firms (Amsterdam & Partners LLP and Fox Rothschild LLP) filed a complaint in the U.S. against Gülen, alleging he orchestrated a conspiracy against the Tahşiye group, a radical Turkish Islamist organization with purported Al-Qaeda ties. The complaint claimed Gülen used his influence over Turkish police and judiciary to target Tahşiye, citing a 2010 sermon where he allegedly likened Tahşiye to Al-Qaeda and predicted their involvement in violence. Turkish police raids on Tahşiye in 2010 uncovered weapons, explosives, and evidence of members training in Afghanistan, with leader Mehmet Doğan publicly praising Osama bin Laden.

The firms alleged Gülen’s loyalists in Turkey planted evidence, fabricated warrants, and conducted illegal wiretaps to frame Tahşiye members, detaining them for up to 20 months. The complaint suggested Gülen’s actions were motivated by a desire to suppress a rival Islamist group.

Documented CIA Connections of Fethullah Gülen

Fethullah Gülen (April 27, 1941 – October 20, 2024), the Turkish Islamic scholar and leader of the Hizmet movement, has been the subject of speculation regarding connections to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), particularly due to his long-term residence in the United States and his political conflicts with the Turkish government.

Overview of Allegations

Gülen’s critics, particularly the Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have repeatedly alleged that he and his Hizmet movement were supported or influenced by the CIA, especially in the context of the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, which Erdoğan labeled the work of the “Fethullahist Terror Organization” (FETÖ). These claims often stem from Gülen’s residence in Pennsylvania since 1999, his movement’s global reach, and its perceived alignment with U.S. interests during the Cold War and post-9/11 era.

After the 2013 fallout between Gülen and Erdoğan, and especially following the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, the Turkish government accused Gülen of being a CIA asset or collaborator. Erdoğan and his allies claimed the CIA backed Gülen to destabilize Turkey, pointing to his U.S. residency and the Hizmet movement’s extensive network of schools and organizations in over 140 countries, including in regions strategic to U.S. interests (e.g., Central Asia, Africa).

Turkish officials, including Erdoğan, alleged that the CIA facilitated Gülen’s 1999 move to the U.S. and protected him from extradition after 2016. Pro-government media in Turkey, such as Yeni Şafak, published articles claiming Gülen’s Pennsylvania compound was a CIA front and that Hizmet schools in Central Asia were used to gather intelligence or promote U.S. geopolitical goals against Russia and China.

Hizmet

The Hizmet movement’s establishment of schools, cultural centers, and businesses in Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East during the 1990s and 2000s led to speculation that these institutions served as fronts for CIA intelligence-gathering, particularly in former Soviet states where the U.S. sought influence post-Cold War. Gülen’s moderate, pro-Western Islamic ideology was seen as aligning with U.S. efforts to counter radical Islam and Soviet influence.

A 2008 RAND Corporation report noted that Gülen’s schools in Central Asia promoted a secular, pro-Western education model, which some analysts suggested aligned with U.S. soft power strategies. Critics, including Russian and Turkish officials, claimed these schools could have been used to collect intelligence or foster pro-American sentiment, though no direct CIA link was proven. A leaked 2009 cable from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara (via WikiLeaks) described Gülen’s movement as influential but did not mention CIA involvement.

U.S. Residency and Legal Status:

Gülen’s move to Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1999, officially for medical treatment, raised questions about why the U.S. granted him residency despite his 2000 conviction in Turkey for undermining the secular state. His green card application in 2002 was initially denied but approved in 2008 after support from former U.S. officials, including ex-CIA officer George Fidas, who wrote a letter endorsing Gülen’s contributions to education and interfaith dialogue. Turkish media and officials cited the involvement of Fidas and other U.S. figures (e.g., former Ambassador Morton Abramowitz) in Gülen’s immigration case as evidence of CIA protection. They argued that the CIA facilitated Gülen’s stay to use him as a geopolitical asset against Turkey or other regional powers.

2016 Coup Attempt and CIA Rumors:

Context: The failed 2016 coup attempt, which killed over 250 people, intensified allegations of CIA involvement, with Erdoğan’s government claiming Gülen acted as a U.S. proxy to overthrow the Turkish state. Turkish media pointed to U.S. inaction on extradition and Gülen’s Pennsylvania base as evidence of CIA complicity. Some reports alleged that U.S. military personnel at Incirlik Air Base, a NATO facility, were involved, though these claims were dismissed by U.S. officials.

Sources:

• Britannica, “Fethullah Gülen,” April 22, 2025. • Wikipedia, “Fethullah Gülen” and “Gülen Movement,” October 2024. • Al Jazeera, “Fethullah Gulen: From Presidential Ally to Turkey’s Alleged Coup Mastermind,” October 21, 2024. • Fethullah Gülen’s Official Web Site, various entries, 2011–2025. • The Washington Post, “Fethullah Gulen, Muslim Cleric and Target of Turkey’s Erdogan, Dies at 83,” October 21, 2024.