Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs launches report on FETÖ's misuse of religion

Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs on Wednesday published a report on the misuse of religion by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which orchestrated the defeated coup last July.

Mehmet Görmez, who heads the Directorate of Religious Affairs, shared the details of the report as he addressed a program in capital Ankara on the report's release.

The report analyzes around 670 hours of recorded speeches of FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen, and a total of 80 of his publications.

Görmez said that Gülen made references to Sufism – mystical Islamic belief – in his speeches to lead a social movement.

The 90-page-long report said that Gülen implied that he was in conversation with Prophet Mohammed to convince his followers that his orders were divinely guided.

Gülen also told his followers he had spiritual connections to angels and other Sufi leaders, the report added.

FETÖ and its U.S.-based leader Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and some 2,200 injured.

Turkey accuses FETÖ of a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.