Failure of cameras at FETÖ compound, which is under maximum security, raises questions over how ‘armed incident’ took place
Surveillance cameras at the entrance of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) leader Fetullah Gulen’s gated compound in Pennsylvania were out of service during an "armed incident" Wednesday, said a security guard, casting doubt over its validity.
Earlier in the day, police investigated an incident involving an "armed man" outside the compound, which is located in Saylorsburg.
After the reported incident, Anadolu Agency spoke to a guard, Austin Davos, who said he has been working at the compound for three years.
Davos declined to comment on the suspect’s physical appearance but said two cameras monitoring the suspect’s alleged location were not working when an Anadolu Agency correspondent pointed out that the cameras must have filmed him.
Davos said one camera has been out of service for a long time and the other broke down on Tuesday.
Other guards at the compound referred the correspondent to the police when they were also asked to describe the suspect’s appearance.
The failure of the cameras at the compound, which is under maximum security, cast doubt over how the "armed incident" took place.
Although the security guards claimed the suspect was armed, a police public information release report did not include any statement that the suspect had a gun.
It said an "unknown Caucasian wearing all dark clothing" was involved in the incident.
The police responded to a report of a weapon being discharged at the compound, the release said, adding: "The security personnel discharged a weapon near the location of an unwanted person outside the security gate. The unidentified person fled the scene."
Following the incident, a FETÖ-linked NGO called Alliance for Shared Values claimed the suspect "attempted to enter" the compound, whereas the security guards said the suspect was standing outside the security gate, according to the police release.
In addition, Emrullah Polat, a senior FETÖ member at the compound, was filmed while hastily leaving the premises.
FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, allegedly orchestrated a defeated coup which martyred 251 people and injured nearly 2,200 others in July 2016.
Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999.
