Ankara Says Feto ‘fabricated’ Case Against Turkish Businessman

The US case against a Turkish businessman accused of evading US sanctions on Iran is based on evidence fabricated by the network of US-based businessman and congregation leader, Fetullah Gulen, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Friday.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said the case against the businessman, Reza Zarrab, showed the extent to which Gulen’s network, that Ankara calls Fetullah Terrorist Organisation or FETO, had infiltrated US state institutions, including its judiciary and overseas missions.

“When you look at the indictment of Mr Zarrab it is exactly the same one that FETO actually prepared here in Turkey in 2013,” Cavusoglu said in Istanbul.

“So this case is very much a FETO-motivated one, this is for sure. All those indictments and files they fabricated here were taken back to the United States.”

Turkey-US rift

The Zarrab case has complicated already strained relations between the US and Turkey, both members of the NATO military alliance.

US prosecutors have charged the Iranian-born Zarrab and his alleged co-conspirators of evading US sanctions.

While nine people have been criminally charged, only Zarrab and a banker from Turkey’s Halkbank, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, are in US custody.

Both are due to go on trial on November 27, and have pleaded not guilty.

FETO “infiltrated” US missions

Cavusoglu said he had informed US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of what Ankara sees as the FETO attempts to spread their influence.

“I told him very openly that I believe that FETO has infiltrated his missions here in Turkey through the local staff, and the Halkbank case and the Zarrab case are very much FETO-motivated ones. I am very open. He didn’t make a comment on this,” Cavusoglu said.

Gulen’s extradition

Turkey blames Gulen and his followers for the July 2016 failed coup that killed more than 250 people and wounded 2,200 others.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, denies involvement.

Turkey has repeatedly requested and provided thousands documents for Gulen’s extradition, but US officials have said the courts require sufficient evidence before they can extradite him.