Who are the New Yorkers, and what is their activity?

Turkey has now long been trailing supporters of cleric Fetullah Gulen's movement, Turkey's chief rival, Recep Tayip Erdogan.

Gulen supporters, who live in the United States, are considered terrorists from Turkey, meanwhile, the Hizmet Movement, which has millions of supporters, in Turkey has been declared terrorist.

Erdogan has blamed Gulen for standing behind the failed coup on July 15th 2016 in Turkey, and since then, Turkish authorities have arrested thousands of people and many others have fired them, following suspicions that they are “gylenists”, or followers of Turkish cleric Gulen, broadcast relief.

What does the Gulen Movement do?

The clergyman Gulen gained fame in the 1960 ' s as a preacher in Friday's prayers. Through his movement, Hizmet (Sacrifice) has financed schools, media, and nongovernmental organisations. This movement operates in over 150 countries around the world. Kosovo, which includes primary and secondary education schools “Mehmet Akif”.

Gulen promotes embracing moderate and tolerant Islam. However, some governments see its movement as a threat because of its network among wealthy businessmen and the influence it exerts through educational centers.

Gulen supporters say this movement promotes altruism, work and education.

Reports with Erdogan

Rivalry between Erdogan and Gulen has not always existed. In fact, Gulen's movement has been a powerful supporter of Erdogan.

Gulen, through the media that supported him and his movement, has helped bring the Turkish president's party, the Development and the East, to power in 2002.

However, relations between Erdogan and Gulen were derailed because, as it has been said, differences in the matter of power sharing and the authoritarian style of the Turkish president.

“terrorist body”

In May 2016, Turkey has officially recognized the movement of cleric Gulen as a terrorist group.

Erdogan has long accused Gulen and his supporters of wanting to make coups.

“We will not let them divide the nation”, Erdogan had declared, on the day when Gulen's organisation was officially declared a terrorist group in Turkey, a state in which it is known by the FETO acronym.

The coup charges against the Gylenists, Erdogan had made after a corruption scandal in 2013, involving some of his closest associates. The scandal concerned charges against state officials who were enriched using state funds to buy gold from Iran, and to help Tehran avoid international sanctions on its nuclear programme.

Turkey has repeatedly requested Gulen's extradition from the US. Following the public effort in 2016, Ankara has stepped up demands for such extradition, but official Washington has requested evidence proving Gulen's involvement in the stake. The latter has repeatedly denied any involvement in this event.

The United States has said it does not recognise it as a terrorist organisation Movement Hizmet.