FETO terror group’s US farm shrouded in silence amid reports of leader’s disappearance

Silence prevails at U.S. Pennsylvania’s farm belonging to Fethullah Gulen, the leader of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO), amid reports of the leader’s disappearance.

The claim that Gulen, the mastermind behind the treacherous coup attempt on July 15th, 2016, was abducted from the center where he had been staying since 1999, was brought to light by his nephew, Ebuseleme Gulen.

Following this development, reports surfaced that visits to the FETO center, known in the organization’s media outlets as the “Golden Generation Worship & Retreat Center,” have ceased, and those staying in the guesthouses on the farm have evacuated their homes.

Some local merchants in towns such as Saylorsburg and Wind Gap, where FETO members are predominantly located, have confirmed that no one has come or gone from the camp for some time, while rumors have circulated that the farm is up for sale.

The drone shows only a few vehicles in the previously crowded parking lot at the farm, with only one person seen entering and exiting one of the guesthouses on the approximately 60-acre campsite.

The armed American security guards who previously stood guard at the entrance to the farm around the clock are also no longer visible in the footage.

The captured footage of the area where the homes of Cevdet Turkyolu, who is alleged to be the black box of FETO and accused of abducting Gulen from the farm, and his daughters are located.

In the area, about five minutes away from the farm lies a cemetery named Gurbet Cemetery, belonging to FETO, where deceased leaders of the organization in the United States are buried.

Two organization members, noticing that the area was being filmed, quickly approached a covered area to inspect it before walking away.

Mutual accusations continue within organization

Last week, debates flared up among FETO sympathizers due to social media posts by Ebuseleme Gulen, the nephew of FETO leader Fetullah Gulen (son of his brother Mesih Gulen).

In a video shared from the entrance of a house located right next to the organization’s farm, Ebuseleme Gulen claimed that Fetullah Gulen had been “taken to another place.”

According to his nephew’s allegations, Gulen is being held in an undisclosed location by individuals including Cevdet Turkyolu, known as the organization’s black box, Barbaros Kocakurt, Mustafa Ozcan and Gulen’s doctor Kudret Unal.

Following the intense interaction of the claims by FETO sympathizers, statements were made on a social media account where posts have been made on behalf of Fethullah Gulen for a long time.

The statement stated that the leader of FETO continues his routine activities “in a quieter environment” than the farm. The relocation is said to be due to the insistence of doctors.

On Twitter, Gulen commented on his uncle’s involvement in the treacherous coup attempt on July 15th, stating that “he should not die without revealing the truths,” while Turkyolu continues to accuse prominent figures in the organization, such as Adil Ozsuz, Kudret Unal and Barbaros Kocakurt.

Debate continues over whereabouts of the leader

Influential figures in the organization, such as Kemal Gulen and Ahmet Kurucan, have also participated in the debates through their social media accounts. They defended the leader, Gulen, by stating that “it is normal for him to be in a less crowded environment due to the sensitivity of his health condition and not wanting to be kept in a crowded environment like a camp, as very few people know about the place.”

While these statements have not satisfied the organization’s base, the number of FETO members supporting Gulen’s social media posts has increased.

Additionally, the choice of the image shared on the organization’s website as a profile picture has led to speculation that it is intended to conceal Gulen’s actual health condition.

What is FETO

Türkiye has been the target of various terrorist organizations because of its strategic location at the crossroads of continents, religions and cultures. Unlike other terrorist groups that operate openly, the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) has clandestinely conducted its activities since the 1960s, masquerading behind a facade of legality while pursuing its illegal agenda.

FETO aims to establish a new political, economic, and social order that deviates significantly from Islamic principles by exploiting religion for its own ends. Engaging in a range of criminal activities, including oppression, blackmail, threats, assassinations, conspiracies, espionage and money laundering, FETO has demonstrated a blatant disregard for Türkiye’s sovereignty, democracy, and the core values of the Republic.

The treacherous coup attempt on July 15, 2016, was a direct assault on Türkiye’s national sovereignty, democratic institutions and the foundational principles of the Republic. FETO’s involvement in this heinous act further underscores the grave threat it poses to Türkiye’s stability and security.

As of July 1, 2023, FETO schools have been closed in 48 countries, either taken over and operated directly by the relevant countries or transferred to the Türkiye Maarif Foundation.

Currently, educational activities are being carried out by the Türkiye Maarif Foundation in 447 educational institutions in 51 countries.

In many countries, FETO-affiliated structures have been banned, and their members have been deported. Some international organizations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have adopted decisions recognizing FETO as a terrorist organization. The Pakistan Supreme Court ruled that the activities of FETO-affiliated groups declared as terrorist organizations would violate the Pakistani Constitution. Thus, it banned all activities of the terrorist organization in the country.