By Nuray Babacan – ANKARA,

Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu has predicted that the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen will “end up dying in the U.S. and be buried in a Jewish cemetery.”

“There is nothing left for FETÖ. The U.S. is also saying farewell to it. Gülen will end up dying in the U.S and he will be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Apparently there are fights over who will replace him [in the Gülen movement] but they cannot rise again,” said Eroğlu, referring to the group widely believed to be behind Turkey’s July 15 coup attempt.

Speaking at parliament on Dec. 7, he dismissed speculation of a “second coup attempt” as the government had landed a fateful glow on what it calls the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ).

Eroğlu also said he had been personally targeted since 2011, after firing one of his employees who he found was working for the Gülenists.

“After this incident they said, ‘who is this minister? We will publish stories on Samanyolu TV and in daily Zaman [media outlets formally leaning toward the Gülen movement] and we will finish him.’ They were threatening a minister of state,” he said, claiming that he subsequently “cleared most Gülenists from the ministry.”

December/07/2016