Turkish Embassy says it only notified Govt. of links to FETO

Issuing a statement, the Turkish Embassy yesterday clarified that they had updated Sri Lankan authorities of people linked to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO), which is banned in Turkey and several other countries. 

The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey had provided the Sri Lankan authorities with the details of FETO affiliated members, schools and businesses in Sri Lanka for the last four years and requested the Government to ban FETO affiliated schools and businesses and to deport their staff, it said in a statement. 

“As Turkey and Sri Lanka are still the targets of international terrorism today, as in the past, both countries will continue to stand in solidarity and cooperation,” it added. 

The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey clarified some issues regarding the news which had been published in the Sri Lankan media since 30 April. Local newspapers carried reports that the Turkish Embassy had notified the Government of people who were suspected of having terror links travelling between the two countries. However, FETO has not been linked to Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday attacks. 

The terrorist bomb attacks which targeted Sri Lanka on 21 April showed once again the need for cooperation and a collective fight against all elements of international terrorism, the statement said.

“Turkey and Sri Lanka have stood in solidarity and cooperation in the international arena for many decades and supported each other in their fight against separatist terrorism. In this framework, Turkey has also been cooperating with Sri Lanka in her fight against Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO),” it said. 

FETO is the terrorist organisation which perpetrated the coup attempt on 15 July 2016 in Turkey which killed 251 civilians and wounded thousands in one day. 

FETO disguised itself as a benign education and charity movement and carried out its activities under this guise in Turkey and in various other countries for many years. 

In 2013, the ultimate aim of this terrorist organisation had been discovered by Turkey and their activities were completely banned within the country. 

After the brutal coup attempt on 15 July 2016, a large number of foreign countries followed Turkey and banned or closed FETO affiliated schools and businesses and deported FETO members from their countries.