Some European Union countries have turned into a sort of a safe haven for a number of well-known supporters of foreign terrorist ideology; case in point those who either fled Türkiye on their own or alternatively via assistance from a foreign party.

The surprisingly rapidly issued tourist visas are granted to those people as if ordinary non-terrorist applicants who often endure a lengthy paperwork procedure at high costs, no longer matter. Apparently, there was quite some cross-border traffic shortly before or after the failed coup attempt in 2016 by Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) members.

The topic is very sensitive and needs facts, not fiction to finally convince our European, and American audiences, respectively, that these are not harmless tea-drinking old age pensioners' association members willing to contribute to the welfare of their newly found home countries. Firstly, there is the PKK terror organization and to only mention one EU nation, and according to German intelligence, has 14,500 known supporters on German soil alone – but secondly, and similarly in the spotlight, are members of the FETÖ terror network, responsible for many attacks on Türkiye’s democracy and in particular, the heinous 2016 coup attempt during which 251 citizens were martyred and 2,734 citizens were wounded. Let us recall that their first "serious" attempt supposedly together with at least silent overseas interests in 2013 failed as well, the so-called Gezi Park Protests: Initially a legitimate protest by young people concerned about the environment and then a hijacked gathering abused by anti-democracy sympathizers first in Türkiye, then abroad.

Let us thus revisit an event organized and hosted by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications of the Republic of Türkiye in Ankara last week, titled "Symposium on the International Fight Against FETÖ."

It brought together academics, experts and journalists from Türkiye as well as France, the U.S. and Germany. On the one hand, panelists detailed the immense scope of how the network managed to infiltrate Türkiye’s democracy step by step. On the other hand, they also agreed that there is a very worrying cross-border dimension to the issue as many FETÖ members managed to flee the country either before or shortly after the coup attempt and settled in a number of European, Asian and African nations as well as in North America; hence, there is a very dangerous and toxic international aspect to all of this. Long story short, fighting remaining undercurrents favoring FETÖ within Türkiye – or at least point out those individuals or groups who are trying to turn back the clocks to the period in which FETÖ was active in Türkiye, the above-mentioned failed criminal Gezi Park revolt or fake court cases happened – is an absolute must. However, fighting those supporting FETÖ overseas is an absolute necessity, too.

Definition of a terror group

Putting this into legal practice, including asking their host nations for an expedited extradition process, depends on how those countries define a criminal and/or terrorist organization. There is no better place than to look at the definition of what constitutes terrorism by a leading intelligence body of one of the states where FETÖ members are hiding, including their ringleader Fetullah Gülen himself: The U.S.’ very own Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The official website of the FBI states that international terrorism is classified as "violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations (state-sponsored)." We then read on the page that domestic terrorism is characterized as "violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial or environmental nature."

Example from Germany

We mentioned the requirement of and for facts when trying to convince international audiences about the threat FETÖ poses to the very countries in which they either hide or act in broad daylight in the full knowledge that they are "protected" and shielded by those safe-haven states.

TRT Deutsch, which broadcasts in German, broke the news on Jan. 25, 2021, quoting from a shocking revelation published in the highly respected German broadsheet daily Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) a few days earlier.

An association named "Frohsinn," best translated as "Cheerfulness," was active in Bavaria and other parts of southern Germany. Before 2016, it was said that approximately 150 adults had been involved for a period of almost three decades. At stake: An educational center for adults complete with kindergarten, dormitories and a women’s club. Then the report detailed that there was a much wider, cobweb-like structure linked to a network called Vision Private Schools ("Vision Privatschulen" in German). Former Integration Director of the city of Augsburg Matthias Garte was then mentioned as saying they had suspected a certain network behind all those activities, but it had been difficult to grasp what was really going on until further investigations. It then transpired that Frohsinn managed to obtain an annual grant of a staggering 945,000 euros ($1.04 million) from the State of Bavaria.

From 2016 until 2020, 32,000 Turkish citizens sought asylum in Germany and 3,500 in Bavaria alone. The report based on the SZ's own investigation claims that among those 3,500 individuals, many belonged to or at least supported FETÖ.

It was the first time that government officials on local and regional levels actually looked into what authorities in Türkiye knew all along – FETÖ camped in Germany and other European nations, and continued to do what they did in Türkiye: Disguised themselves as educators and well-doers for society while accomplishing their illegal goals. Granted, as this is impossible within Türkiye, they might just as well try and establish antidemocratic networks and structures in their newly found host nations, in particular siding with ultra-extreme right-wing movements, which are unfortunately on the rise all across the European continent.

Classifying FETÖ as terror network indispensable?

In order to dismantle the European structure of FETÖ, it is necessary to explain the dangers and threats such a secretive organization poses to their host countries. At present, only the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Pakistan, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf besides the Republic of Türkiye herself classify FETÖ as a terrorist organization.

Not adding FETÖ to the terrorist organization watchlists abroad means the group can set up associations, schools or dormitories, enterprises or manage media publications. Those in turn can be used for fundraising without any accountability with regard to where and for what the money they collect is actually spent.

Crime and terror know no boundaries – and even illegal structures benefit from globalization.

No one in Türkiye will ever forgive FETÖ for the harm they inflicted upon Türkiye and its proud citizens. The time has come to tell our European, American and friends and allies anywhere else about this fact and how dangerous this cobweb structure is. Joint action would be very welcome indeed.