Turkey asks for German help in Gulen crackdown: paperAugust 20, 2016 - 17:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey's government has sent German authorities requests for 40 searches and three extraditions linked to supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S-based Muslim cleric it blames for last month's attempted coup, magazine Der Spiegel reported on Saturday, August 20, according to Reuters. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accuses a network of schools, charities and businesses led by Gulen, and built up in Turkey and abroad over decades, of infiltrating state institutions and orchestrating the failed coup. Authorities in Turkey have arrested or suspended tens of thousands of police, troops, officials, judges and civil servants because of their alleged links to Gulen's movement. Citing classified documents, Spiegel said Turkey's secret service had asked Germany's foreign intelligence agency (BND) for help in rounding up Gulen supporters in Germany. The magazine said the Turkish secret service wanted the BND to use its influence to spur German lawmakers into taking action against Gulen supporters and extraditing them to Turkey. A spokesman for the BND said the agency only reported on the operative aspects of its work to the German government and the responsible authorities in the lower house of parliament, Reuters says. A Turkish presidency official said: "It's not our policy to comment on intelligence operations. However, we expect all our friends and allies to assist Turkey's efforts to hold FETO operatives accountable for their crimes." FETO is an abbreviation standing for the "Gulenist Terror Group" which is how Ankara refers to Gulen's movement. Germany is home to a three-million strong Turkish community and concern is growing that tensions between Erdogan backers and Gulen supporters are spilling over onto German soil. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |