FETO (Fetullah Terrorist Organization), which defines itself as “Hizmet (service) Movement” or “Gulen Movement” but in the meantime, a designated terrorist organization in accordance with the provisions of the Turkish Penal Code, continues to operate in Germany as of 2025.
FETO network in Germany is engaged in a variety of activities including unregistered “himmet” (donation) collection through its executives appointed by its core across German federal states, online or face-to-face indoctrination of young children in line with the teachings of Fetullah GULEN, purchase or lease of properties on behalf of organization members, forging invoices through establishment of so-called NGOs, organizing so-called humanitarian assistance campaigns via associations such as Time to Help and using the generated revenues to finance organizational activities. FETO entity in Germany is also responsible for the activities of its networks operating in more than 10 countries.
Within the context of its foregoing activities across Germany, FETO, also runs more than 200 student homes in the country where it offers regular organizational training. It is perceived as a peculiar amorphous organization with an unspecified intent by an outside observer.
As a matter of fact, it is observed that the organization lacks a statute, charter or an official record indicating whether it is an NGO involved in dialogue-building efforts, an education company or an association founded for humanitarian assistance purposes.
Moreover, it is indicated that behind the scenes of all these activities is a Turkish national, who has an office in Frankfurt and travels every 3 months to the US to present reports to the Pennsylvania-based FETO headquarters on the organization’s activities in Germany.
According to recent information, it was decided in a meeting in the US in September 2024 to replace FETO’s “Germany Executive (Imam)”, whereupon Huseyin KARAKUS, who has been running the task for 7 years, was replaced by Omer ERFIDAN.
Meanwhile, personal remarks of organization members show that Huseyin KARAKUS is a technical figure holding the position of a kind of CEO while the newly-appointed Omer ERDFIDAN is a secretive man formerly involved in covert organizational activities using a code name to topple the existing political power in Türkiye.
Assignment of Omer ERFIDAN as FETO’s Germany Imam as a person bearing such features, is interpreted as a mistake on the organization’s part since it alleges that it is a social movement, and an appointment which will likely receive reaction from the German authorities.