Islamist cult leader voices readiness to name 150 Salafi associations taking up arms to fight in Turkey

Islamist cult leader Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü has said that he is ready to name a total of 150 Salafi associations taking up arms as part of their preparations to fight in Turkey. "I've made a list of these associations and in which provinces they are located. If the prosecutors summon me and ask me what I know, I'm ready to name at least 150 of them," a journalist cited Ünlü as saying.

Duvar English

An Islamist cult leader has voiced readiness to name a total of 150 Salafi associations taking up arms as part of their preparations to fight in Turkey.

Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü, also known as Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca, said that he can give the names of the associations if prosecutors summon him.

Ünlü on Sept. 10 said in an interview that there are 2,000 Salafi assocations preparing for a civil war.

“There are 2,000 [Salafi] associations. These associations are taking up arms; their members have pump-rifles. They are preparing for a civil war. They are preparing for an armed conflict especially in Batman, Adıyaman areas,” Ünlü said on Sept. 9.

Ünlü, a cleric from the İsmailağa order of Naqshbandi Sufis, said that these Salafi associations' members have been threatening people with death and warned the government to be careful against them.

2,000 Salafi associations in Turkey taking up arms, preparing to fight, says popular Turkish cleric

Journalist Saygı Öztürk on Sept. 19 said that he asked Ünlü to comment on his statements, to which the cleric replied by saying that he expects prosecutors to summon him to receive information.

"I've made a list of these associations and in which provinces they are located. If the prosecutors summon me and ask me what I know, I'm ready to name at least 150 of them," Öztürk cited Ünlü as saying.

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