Turkey repeats old charge

Hyderabad: A number of Hyderabad-based organisations and companies are associated with the deadly Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO) that killed 251 people in an abortive coup attempt carried out in July 2016, Turkey's Consul General Dr Adnan Altay Altinors alleged on Thursday

He alleged that Iqbalia International School and Junior College in Hyderabad provided academic and financial help to FETO and is brainwashing young minds.

This is not the first time that Turkey is making such a charge. In November 2015, Turkish minister Lutfi Elvan, after meeting Union minister Rajnath Singh, said. “Unfortunately, in India too this terrorist organisation has organised itself. They have got four schools here, one international school and a college and they are organised in Delhi, Hyderabad and Kol-kata.” The police at that time said the school was not under watch.

The Consul-General who was here on Thur-sday said: “Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation, responsible for the July 2016 coup, has developed links with a few Indian organisations such as the Turkish Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (TICCI) which claims to be a business partner and trade bridge between Turkey and India, the Indialogue Foundation which claims itself as an international dialogue and peace organisation and hosts and supports events on various schemes, and the Iqbalia International School and Junior College in Hyde-rabad. They are all linked to FETO. It is striking that a number of funders are from Hyderabad.”

He said that the flow of funds to these organisations needs to be scrutinised carefully by the relevant Indian authorities.

He said FETO’s coup attempt had destroyed Turkey's national security and democracy. All the evidence collected so far confirms that the bloodiest terrorist attack in the history of Turkey was orchestrated by FETO under the instructions of Fethullah Gulen and members who infiltrated the Turkish military.

“FETO maintains its activities in Hyderabad through its affiliated organisations. In order to fully understand all aspects of the coup attempt, it is imperative to consider the dark network of FETO,” he said

A statement put out by the Turkish consulate said: “It all started under the guise of a charitable education effort back in 1970s. This organisation puts kids through school with academic and financial help and mainly a heavy hand in indoctrination. Today FETO has around 800 education institutions, 100 plus NGOs and foundations, 200 media outlets and 500 private companies in 160 countries including India.”