Germany Turkish imams suspected of spying

karlsruhe - Justice in Germany managed to do Wednesday when four Turkish imams in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate search. The clerics suspected of spying for Turkey.

The four would have provided information about supporters of the cleric Fethullah Gulen to the Turkish Consulate General in Cologne. According to Turkey's Gulen, who resides in the US, behind the attempted coup of last year. The four imams working for DITIB, the Turkish Islamic umbrella association in Germany.

Germany considers that the influence that Turkey exerts on the association is too large. Justice Minister Heiko Maas requires DITIB that breaks away from Ankara. 'The influence of the Turkish state on DITIB is too big,' he said Wednesday.