FETO is the most 'insidious' terror group in history

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Fetullah Terrorist Organization is "the most insidious terror group in history," according to the deputy chair of the Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Committee.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, Fatma Benli highlighted the importance of Turkey's fight against FETO.

"FETO is the kind of organization which can bomb the Parliament with lawmakers in it all the while making itself look like a relief and education organization in the world," she said, referring to the attack during the defeated coup attempt of July 15, 2016.

Also a deputy of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party for Istanbul, Benli said that during the coup attempt, FETO terrorists "ran over 15-16-year-old teens with tanks".

"FETO did this, yet it was able to make itself look like a humanist group," she added.

Orchestrated by FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen, the coup attempt left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Turkey 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.

Benli said that FETO was dangerous enough to kill Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, who was assassinated at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital, Ankara on Dec. 19, 2016.

"Turkey is not just protecting itself while fighting FETO. It is also contributing to regional and global peace," she said. "Turkey's fight against PKK, Daesh and FETO makes a positive contribution to other countries, especially Europe."

Karlov was delivering a speech at the opening of an art gallery when an armed assailant shot him several times.

Turkish-Russian relations were tested after Karlov's assassination. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the shooting a "provocation" designed to undermine bilateral ties.