The document discusses the Gülen movement, a religious and social movement in Turkey led by Fethullah Gülen from his home in Pennsylvania. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the movement of orchestrating a failed coup attempt against his government. The Gülen movement promotes moderate Sunni Islam and operates schools and organizations around the world. However, some observers believe the movement may want more political power and influence in Turkey. The alliance between Erdogan and Gülen has broken down in recent years due to accusations of corruption investigations targeting Erdogan's government.

1. In this March 15, 2014, file photo, Turkish Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen
sits in his residence in Saylorsburg, Pa. Selahattin Sevi—AP
TURKEY http://time.com/4408855/turkey-coup-fethullah-gulen-gulenist-
movement/
What to Know About the Group
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Is
Blaming for Turkey's Attempted
Coup
Justin Worland
Updated: Jul 15, 2016 8:57 PM ET
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blamed an international opposition
network for leading a coup against his government in a statement to the
Turkish people delivered through FaceTime and broadcast on television.
The movement—known as the Gülen movement or Hizmet—is led by Turkish
imam Fethullah Gülen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States
since 1999. Despite his distance, he remains one of the most influential people
in Turkey. From afar, he has run a powerful movement calling for a secular and
democratic government.

2. Gülen's group, the Alliance for Shared Values, issued a statement saying
comments alleging the group's involvement in the coup were "highly
irresponsible" and that the group did not support the military's intervention.
“Events on the ground are moving quickly and it would be irresponsible for us
to speculate on them," the group said in the statement. "We remain concerned
about the safety and security of Turkish citizens and those in Turkey right
now.”
What is the movement?
Gülen's movement presses for a moderate version of Sunni Islam that
emphasizes tolerance and interfaith dialogue. The organization lacks any
official hierarchy or structure, but followers have built up a network of think
tanks, schools and publications in locations around the world—including in
Texas. The TUSKON business confederation, which has 120,000 businesses
under its umbrella, has strong ties to the Gülen movement and provides
financial support.
But why would a pro-democracy movement potentially want to overturn a
democratically elected leader?
Observers have suspected that the movement's intentions may not be wholly
pure and that some of the movement's most powerful figures may actually
want to consolidate power themselves. “It is clear they want influence and
power," a senior U.S. official told the New York Times in 2012. "We are
concerned there is a hidden agenda to challenge secular Turkey and guide the
country in a more Islamic direction.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris,
Turkey, on July 15, 2016. Kenan Gurbuz—Reuters
Why doesn't Gülen get along with Erdogan?

3. The pair initially acted as allies thanks to a shared belief in a moderate
version of Islam that could work in politics. The modern Turkish state was
founded by the avowedly (openly) secular Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, but
Erdogan's AKP Party, known as the Justice and Development Party in English,
was more Islamist than past Turkish governments, though it still endorsed
secularism and democracy over strict adherence to conservative Islamic
beliefs—at least when the party was first founded in 2001.
But the alliance had ended by the time Erdogan became president in 2014—he
was previously prime minister—though why exactly remains unclear. Erdogan
accused Gülen of encouraging Hizmet loyalists to push a corruption
investigation targeting government ministers and others close to Erdogan.
Gülen has denied that claim."It is not possible for these judges and
prosecutors to receive orders from me," Gulen told the BBC in 2014. "I have
no relation with them."
For his part, Erdogan hasn't bought it and has said he made a grave mistake
by joining forces with Gülen.
Where does Gülen live?
Gülen lives in a compound in a remote Pennsylvania. A visit by the BBC
suggested that the recluse lives a modest life.