OIC to consider designating FETO as terrorist group

By Mohamed Akil

ISTANBUL

A preparatory meeting of foreign ministers from Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member-states on Wednesday introduced a draft resolution that would -- if adopted -- designate U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen’s FETO group as a terrorist organization.

The draft was introduced at a preparatory meeting that began Tuesday in the Saudi city of Jeddah, according to the OIC’s official news agency.

The meeting, which will run until Thursday, is being held to discuss preparations for the 43rd OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Summit, where the draft resolution will be tabled for possible ratification.

The summit, to be held in Uzbek capital Tashkent, is slated for October.

At the preparatory meeting in Jeddah, the draft resolution was approved by all OIC member-state representatives present except that of Egypt, who expressed Cairo’s reservations to the move citing "legal reasons".

"We always stand with resolutions taken unanimously by the organization [the OIC]," Egypt’s representative said, according to the news agency (which did not provide the representative’s name).

"But as for the current draft resolution [on FETO], we must first consult with Cairo to discuss the legal procedures involved," he added.

Ankara accuses Gulen’s FETO movement of orchestrating a coup attempt on July 15 in which FETO-linked military personnel attempted -- unsuccessfully -- to overthrow Turkey’s elected government.

At least 246 people, including civilians and security personnel, were martyred -- and more than 2,100 injured -- during the illegal putsch attempt.

Gulen and his followers are also accused of attempting to infiltrate Turkey’s vital state institutions -- especially the military, police apparatus and judiciary -- with the ultimate aim of creating a parallel state.