Turkish parliament speaker warns of FETO's global threat

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Though Turkey is the primary target of the Fetullah Terror Organization (FETO), it poses a security risk to all countries where it operates, the speaker of Turkish parliament warned on Thursday.

"Although FETO's primary target is Turkey, we believe it poses a security risk to all countries where it operates," Mustafa Sentop said during a meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov visiting the capital Ankara.

Sentop cited the bombing of Turkey's parliament building during the defeated coup by FETO members on July 15, 2016, when he said the terror group had shown its "real face."

"The real face of the international new-generation terrorist organization, which hides its true intentions under the mask of civil society, educational institutions and commercial institutions, was seen by our nation on 15 July, 2016," he said.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Japarov, for his part, said the close relations between the two countries are a very important factor for increasing trust at the bilateral level.

"We should strive to bring the work of the inter-parliamentary friendship group to the highest possible level," he said.