Long arm of Ankara in Austria

vienna - The Turkish Embassy in Austria runs an informant network that opponents of Erdogan detects, such as Kurds, journalists and supporters of cleric Fethullah Gulen. The network would be run by ATIB, the Austrian branch of the Turkish Ministry of Religious Affairs Diyanet.

Parliamentarian Peter Pilz of the Greens has reported against ATIB and claims to have evidence handed over to the police, suggesting that Ankara is directed against Austrian Turks. These include for communication between Mehmet Fatih Karadas, the religious attaché of the Turkish Embassy in Vienna, and Diyanet in Ankara.

'The group operates ATIB hard rücksichtlose and- in my eyes- legally unacceptable Turkish politics in Austria,' Pilz said in a statement. According to the parliamentarian out the Turkish operations amounts to espionage.

The allegations Pilz similar allegations have been made as Netherlands against Diyanet. Just like in our country, the Turks deny everything. 'We reject firmly rejected these allegations. We urge the Austrian authorities to act reasonably and not to make statements that relations between Austria and Turkey, and the peace of the Turkish community could affect in Austria, 'the Turkish Foreign Ministry states in a comment.

Despite this emphatic denial, the religious attaché announced his imminent departure. Why Karadas return to Turkey, was not disclosed. Remarkably recognized the religious attaché last Sunday in a newspaper interview, indeed, that the Turkish Embassy in Vienna 'radicalized' Gulen supporters monitors.

According to the Turkish government is Gülen behind the failed coup last year. Turkish cleric has denied any involvement.