Exiled Turkish Cleric Fethullah Gulen Dies at 83 in US
Fethullah Gülen, an influential Turkish cleric who founded a widespread Islamic movement but later faced accusations of orchestrating a failed coup against President Tayyip Erdoğan, has died in the United States at the age of 83. Herkul, a website that publishes Gülen’s sermons, announced on its X account that he passed away on Sunday evening in a US hospital.
Once a close ally of Erdoğan, Gülen became his adversary after their relationship deteriorated, culminating in the 2016 coup attempt where rogue soldiers used warplanes, tanks, and helicopters in an effort to seize power, resulting in approximately 250 deaths. Although Gülen, who had lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, denied involvement, Turkey designated his movement, known as Hizmet (“service” in Turkish), as a terrorist organization.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed Gülen’s death, describing him as the leader of a “dark organization” and asserting that Turkey’s fight against the group would persist. “Our nation’s determination in the fight against terrorism will continue, and this news of his death will never lead us to complacency,” Fidan said at a press conference.
Born in Erzurum, Turkey, in 1941, Gülen rose to prominence in the 1960s as a preacher and established a network of schools, businesses, and media outlets both within Turkey and internationally. Following the failed coup, his movement was systematically dismantled in Turkey, with thousands arrested and institutions closed.
Gülen’s supporters view Hizmet as promoting a moderate form of Islam that emphasizes education, free markets, and interfaith dialogue. Despite Turkey’s efforts to extradite him, he remained in the US, where he continued to deny any involvement in the coup attempt until his death.
