Thousands in Turkey call for resignation of PM Erdogan who responds with tear gas. US based Islamic 'schooling' entrepreneur Gulen said behind effort to oust Erdogan, Erdogan says will 'break the hands' of rivals-BBC

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US based Islamic preacher and "schooling" advocate Fethullah Gulen, rival of Erdogan, likely behind investigations and protests against Erdogan:

12/22/13, "Tear gas and corruption: Istanbul police disperse protesters as graft scandal heats up," rt.com

"Turkish police have shot tear gas and water cannon at thousands of demonstrators swarming onto Istanbul’s streets to protest the government after a corruption probe prompted the PM to purge the police force and allege ‘dark’ international plots....

Thousands gathered in Istanbul's Kadikoy district, wielding banners which called for the resignation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Some witness estimates say that the crowd grew to as much as 10,000 at one point, according to Reuters.

Chants of “enough is enough, Istanbul is ours” could be heard coming from the crowd, according to Turkey’s Dogan news agency. March participants comprised of a broad coalition of party groups and civil society organizations....
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The case investigating widespread bribery erupted on Tuesday, targeting some 89 people, including a handful of Erdogan’s close allies.

On Saturday, the sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan were charged with acting as go-betweens. They were among the 24 people - including high-profile bureaucrats, businessmen and politicians arrested in connection with the large scale operation, known as ‘The Big Bribe’ which has been underway since Tuesday....

Twenty-five police chiefs were sacked on Sunday as part of a crackdown on dissent - police or anyone else found to have been involved with the probe were being punished for their participation. Overall, about 70 police officers, including the head of Istanbul's force, have either been fired or been forced to change position.

The investigation revealed rifts between Erdogan and his former ally, US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen has some influence over both the police and judiciary in Turkey. While Erdogan has held back from ascribing blame to Gulen, a deep divide on matters of schooling highlighted the rift last month, and Gulen’s ‘Hizmit’ (‘Service’) movement has been increasingly at political loggerheads with Erdogan."...photo rt.com, twitter.

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Among comments at rt.com   

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"Hermann Helmholtz 22.12.2013 20:16

Yet another ally of the US demonstrates its adherence
to "democracy" ; and "freedom" with tear gas.

Still less deadly, so far, than the other US ally in Africa, the South Sudan "democrats"; killing hundreds, and dispersing into the wilderness tens of thousands of refugees.
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Or the new ally, Myanmar, killing tens of thousands of Bengali, smack at the end of "successful" negotiations to rehabilitate the generals into the new "democratic" regime, designed by the US.".

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12/25/13, "Turkey ministers Caglayan and Guler resign amid scandal," BBC

"Twenty-four people have been charged as part of the investigation, including the head of state-owned Halkbank.... 

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to "break the hands" of rivals who used the inquiry to undermine his rule.

Mr Caglayan's son Kaan and Baris Guler, the interior minister's son, have both denied accusations of involvement in bribery relating to urban development projects and the allocation of construction permits....

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, in exile in the US, is seen as a rival to Mr Erdogan, and his Hizmet movement has supporters in the police and judiciary.

Mr Erdogan himself has referred to a "dark plot" by forces outside Turkey." (end of article)



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