Fatih Altaylı recounts a conversation he had years ago with FETÖ ringleader Gülen: 'They were startled when I said that...'

Journalist Fatih Altaylı recounted a meeting he had with terrorist ringleader Fethullah Gülen before he fled to the US on March 21, 1999, using health problems as an excuse after his name appeared in Security reports during the February 28 process.

Explaining that he met with terrorist ringleader Fethullah Gülen on the top floor of a private tutoring center in Üsküdar, Altaylı stated that during the dinner meeting, which began with 'tape' allegations, he said, "They explained 'Gülenism' and such to me. I said, 'You are neo-Islamic Freemasons.' The group was startled when I said that," and noted that Gülen gave a different reaction than the others.

"AN ENDLESS ANIMOSITY BEGAN BETWEEN US"

Stating that his feud with the FETÖ members began in the early 1990s when he was working in radio and tore up the Zaman newspaper, saying, "This is not a newspaper, it can only be used as toilet paper," Altaylı said, "From that day on, an endless animosity began between us."

Altaylı continued as follows:

"THE 'TAPE' ALLEGATION SPREAD"

"However, in the following years, in the 90s, that is, shortly before Fethullah Gülen went abroad, an allegation spread within the Gülen Community that I had a tape belonging to Fethullah Gülen and that I would publish this tape. I did not have such a tape, nor was I planning such a publication.

"FETHULLAH GÜLEN CONVEYED TO ME REPEATEDLY THAT HE WANTED TO MEET WITH ME"

Upon this, Fethullah Gülen conveyed to me repeatedly that he wanted to meet with me. I did not meet with him. Then someone I knew very well intervened and said, 'Why don't you just meet?' I said, 'What am I going to meet about? What could I possibly have to do with Fethullah Gülen, my brother? I am not a man who believes in such nonsense.' He said, 'Just meet once,' and I couldn't refuse.

HE MET ON THE TOP FLOOR OF A TUTORING CENTER

On the top floor of a tutoring center in Üsküdar; there were some of his men from that time with him... We sat down, chatted for about an hour and a half, and ate dinner together.