Editing Fethullah Gulen (section)

==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.