Turkey justified in seeking extradition of U.S.-based Islamist leader

Washington and Ankara should agree on extraditing a U.S.-based Islamist leader who presents a danger to each capital.

This month a Turkish court issued arrest warrants for cleric Fethullah Gülen and 66 others for allegedly operating a secretive, cult-like parallel government within politics, police and the judiciary.  According to the Turks, the Gülen Movement is conspiring to topple the democratically elected government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and install an Islamic theocracy, not unlike the harsh system of government in Iran.  

{mosads}Ironically, it’s being directed from the land of the free – or more specifically, Gülen’s exile in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Though he’s lived there since 1999, his weekly on-line sermons and network of roughly 3-6 million followers are setting off alarm bells from Istanbul to Ankara. 

Turkey appears on high alert for external and internal threats because it hasn’t been this vulnerable in generations.  The nation of 75 million and NATO’s second largest military is challenged by a terrorism epidemic; close to 2.5 million Syrian refugees with more on the way; and a renewed spike in violence with the Kurdish militants of the PKK, a.k.a. Kurdish Workers Party.  The latter conflict has already killed 40,000 since the 1970s.

The last thing the Turks need is a stealth force attempting to sink their government — from the U.S. of all places.

So why should Americans care?

Well, beyond supporting an important treaty ally, considering the rising tide of religious extremism penetrating both sides of the Atlantic, the last thing Americans need is people indoctrinating our citizens and recently arrived refugees into the merits of theocracies.  Moreover, legitimate questions about U.S. immigration and security policies shouldn’t be simply met with allegations of “Islamophobia” and “xenophobia,” including from some well-intentioned people who perhaps haven’t looked into the details.

Though the Gülen Movement has stayed mostly under the radar, their American taxpayer-funded network of 120 charter schools throughout the country is the largest nationally.  But it’s not just preaching ideas that promote extremist thought, including second class status of women and girls, it’s also terribly corrupt.

The FBI has been investigating numerous Gülen-linked schools for various allegations of improper use of public financing, while their shady immigration, contracting and salary practices for thousands of imported young male teachers have also raised questions in local communities.   

Where there’s a perfect storm of corruption, indoctrination and proselytization, the next logical step is outreach to top U.S. politicians for building support.

Thus it’s not surprising that Gülen Movement followers have reportedly donated up to $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.   

Plus they’ve operated non-profit shell groups which have arranged and paid for as many as 200 trips to Turkey for members of Congress and staffers since 2008 including Reps. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Bob Filner (D-Calif.) and Mo Brooks (R-Ala.).  According to a USA Today investigation this year, those trips apparently violated Congressional rules repeatedly and may have broken federal laws.

Gülen is now being sued in U.S. District Court for a “campaign of persecution against a different religious group” and “arbitrary and prolonged detention” of between 8-20 months. This includes allegations of “abuse of the U.S. immigration system.”  Again, no surprise.

They’ve also been driving oppressive cultural change that’s sweeping the planet.  But this isn’t just about a fashion statement.

Considering it is hard enough to keep our country safe after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Boston Marathon, Ft. Hood, Chattanooga and San Bernardino, we don’t need any help from individuals and organizations manipulating religion to build a personal cult.

The same goes for Europe.  We must increase collaboration with allies to stop increasingly common terrorist attacks.  In fact, the Turkish government had warned France twice about one of the Paris attackers, a French citizen who helped kill 89 people at the Bataclan Concert Hall last month.  Yet nothing was done.

The lesson is clear: Americans and Europeans must act on credible intelligence about extremists in our midst and take decisive action. 

Fethullah Gülen and his inner circle should be extradited and face the music in Ankara.  Based on their actions, it simply appears they’re attempting to use religious garb to cloak criminal behavior.  The White House and Congress ought to see right through that and we should send them packing.

Gordon is a retired Navy Commander and former Pentagon spokesman who served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005-2009.