The US Embassy in Turkey “liked” a post by fugitive FETO-linked figure and supporter Ergun Babahan on Twitter and later claimed the post was “liked” in error.
Earlier today our Embassy Twitter account “liked” an unrelated post in error. We regret the mistake and apologize for any confusion.
— US Embassy Turkey (@USEmbassyTurkey) October 5, 2019
Amid rumours claiming Nationalist Movement Party’s (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli is ill, the tweet affirmed that Turkish people ought to get used to politics without the politician, claiming the chairman’s ‘end is near.’
Babahan, who reportedly fled Turkey following the July 15 coup attempt in 2016, is a senior figure of the Fethullah Gulen Terror Group or FETO. He currently lives in Montreal, Canada.
Fahrettin Altun, Presidential Communications Director, urged the US State Department to investigate the incident, adding that the US “has no business meddling in Turkey’s domestic affairs.”
Freudian slip?
The US Embassy has no business meddling in Turkey’s domestic affairs.@StateDept must investigate this incident and discipline those responsible.
US Embassy ‘likes’ post by FETÖ-linked figure claiming Bahçeli’s ‘end is near’ https://t.co/OemTtaSp26
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) October 5, 2019
MHP’s Secretary-General Ismet Buyukataman criticised the US Embassy in Turkey for liking the controversial post in a series of tweets, noting that US plans to bring an end to Bahceli’s political career will fail once again.
MHP’s Vice Chairman Semih Yalcin also slammed the US for liking the post and said US plans for Bahceli’s withdrawal are “fruitless.”
Yalcin dismissed allegations about the chairman’s health earlier this week claiming they “aim to create chaos,” reiterating that Bahceli has recuperated.
The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, which left 250 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara 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.
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