By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Ont. (AA) – Turkey is disappointed its Western allies were critical of steps taken by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s following a coup attempt there last moth, the head of a Turkish delegation to Canada told reporters Monday.
Those measures included the detentions of thousands of suspected members of the Fetullah Terror Organization, or FETO, accused of mounting the July 15 defeated coup led by U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen.
Speaking at a press conference in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Dr. Kani Torum, deputy chair of the parliament’s foreign relations committee, also said Gulen was behind the attempted overthrow of the Turkish government, calling the preacher’s movement a “messianic cult” as well as an “ISIS-like organization” guilty of brainwashing followers. He said the West has chosen to overlook that fact and not support Turkey.
“This is the biggest disappointment (of) the Turkish people, I tell you – this is their feelings,” he said.
Torum noted that Turkey stood with its allies when they were attacked.
“When the bombings happened in France, in Britain, Germany – wherever – we always support them,” he said. “We always work with them – and in Brussels. But this time, we did not get any support.”
At least 240 people were martyred during the overthrow attempt and 2,200 others injured.
Ankara also contends that FETO has long tried to infiltrate federal and municipal institutions and formed what is widely regarded as a parallel state.
The Turkish delegation is comprised of five MPs, including two members of opposition parties, and is touring several countries to counter the propaganda Ankara insists is being perpetrated by Gulen and his supporters.