The results of a recent MAK Consultancy survey say that Turks are more careful about religious groups after the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) carried out a coup attempt last year on July 15 against the government.
The survey, "Research on View on Religion and Religious Groups in Turkey," found that 35 percent of participants said that the July 15 coup attempt by a seemingly religious group had damaged their views of religion and religious groups. The coup attempt has led them to hold suspicious views of religious groups.
Fifty percent of participants said the government should inspect religious groups to eliminate the chances of illegal establishments among the groups, while 12 percent said FETÖ did not change their views on religious groups. Three percent were undecided.
When asked if the participant belonged to a religious group, 15 percent were affiliated and 60 percent were not. Twenty-five percent of participants either gave no answer or were undecided. According to those who conducted the survey, this question was the one that participants were hesitant the most on answering and shied away. FETÖ, led by the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, seemingly started out as a religious movement promoting Islam. However, it later revealed its true colors when people loyal to the group tried to grab power in two coup attempts in Turkey, first on Dec. 17 and Dec. 25, 2013, and again on July 15, 2016.
On July 15, 249 people were killed and more than 2,000 were injured.
A string of investigations revealed that Gülenists had been involved in a wide array of crimes, including money laundering, orchestrating sham trials, imprisoning critics and conspiring against anyone opposed to FETÖ's clout in Turkey.
