Justice minister stresses cooperation against terrorism

By Hanife Sevinc and Emrah Guney

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey's justice minister stressed Saturday the significance of cooperation between both NATO and non-NATO nations for effectively fighting terrorism.

"Today, if terrorist organizations still hurt us, that is because international cooperation has not exactly been realized," Bekir Bozdag told a panel discussion at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul.

Bozdag added: "It is only when we achieve such cooperation that we can succeed in eliminating all the terrorist organizations around the world, including Daesh, the PKK, the PYD, the YPG, and FETO."

Pointing to Turkey's four decades of fighting terrorism, he said, "Sincere solidarity and cooperation from the international community" are needed to get a good result in that fight.

On the deadly July 15 coup attempt in Turkey, which left 248 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, Bozdag urged NATO members and "all friendly nations" to take measures against the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Turkey accuses FETO – led by Fetullah Gulen, a resident of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania – of organizing the deadly July 15 defeated coup as well as a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Bozdag reiterated how despite Turkey’s repeated requests that Washington extradite Gulen, he still remains free on U.S. soil.

"What Osama bin Laden meant to the United States and NATO, Fetullah Gulen means the same to Turkey," he said.

- HDP lawmakers' arrest

Bozdag also repeated that there is nothing unconstitutional or unlawful in the recent arrests of deputies from Turkey's opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

Telling how they were arrested only after they failed to answer summons linked to a counter-terrorism investigation, Bozdag said:

"It is the court which ordered their arrest, and we cannot evaluate it."

He also denied that the HDP lawmakers are "being treated differently."

Earlier this month, 13 HDP lawmakers were arrested, including party Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, who remain in custody awaiting trial for terrorism-related offenses.

Pointing to alleged links between the PKK terrorist organization and the HDP, Bozdag said certain municipalities in southeastern Turkey under HDP administration were funneling state funds to the terrorists.

The PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU – resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year, and has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,100 security force members and civilians, including women and children.

Meanwhile, NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Michael Turner, the Secretary-General David Hobs, and Head of Turkish delegations to NATO Osman Askin Bak held a joint press conference.

Turner said that NATO supported Turkey's fight against terrorism and that Turkey played a key role in all NATO operations and the refugees' migration.

He said the reason why this year's assembly was held in Istanbul is to show solidarity with Turkey and its people following the attack on the country's democratic institutions on July 15.

Head of Turkish delegations Bak also stressed the significance of hosting such an assembly in the aftermath of the deadly coup attempt.

He said "having allies is getting more and more important as threats are becoming more and more diversified."