Is Fethullah Gulen Turkey’s own Trotsky?

Aftermath of an attempted coup d'etat in Turkey — epa05431620 A handout picture provided by Turkish President Press office on 19 July 2016 shows, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking during his rally in Istanbul, Turkey, midnight 18 July 2016. Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim reportedly said that the Turkish military was involved in an attempted coup d'etat. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the coup attempt as an 'act of treason' and insisted his government remains in charge. Some 104 coup plotters were killed, 90 people - 41 of them police and 47 are civilians - 'fell martrys', after an attempt to bring down the Turkish government, the acting army chief General Umit Dundar said in a televised appearance.who were killed in a coup attempt on 16 July, during the funeral, in Istanbul, Turkey, 17 July 2016. Turkish Prime Minister Yildirim reportedly said that the Turkish military was involved in an attempted coup d'etat. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the coup attempt as an 'act of treason' and insisted his government remains in charge. Some 104 coup plotters were killed, 90 people - 41 of them police and 47 are civilians - 'fell martrys', after an attempt to bring down the Turkish government, the acting army chief General Umit Dundar said in a televised appearance. EPA/TURKISH PRESIDENTAL PRESS OFFICE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A handout picture provided by Turkish President Press office shows, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking during his rally in Istanbul, Turkey, midnight 18 July 2016.

EPA/TURKISH PRESIDENTAL PRESS OFFICE

While the coup in Turkey was still underway, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan knew, with a remarkable degree of precision, who was responsible. He blamed Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric who heads a philosophical movement that promotes interfaith dialogue, and who has been living in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999.

In fact, the past year has been marked by various kinds of attacks against real or supposed Gulen friends, followers and institutions in Turkey. For insta...

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Is Fethullah Gulen Turkey’s own Trotsky?