Community issues statement following gunfire at İsmailağa Mosque: 'Part of an operation'

An individual arrived at the İsmailağa Mosque in Fatih, Istanbul—known as the center of the religious group publicly referred to as the İsmailağa Community—and fired shots into the air with a firearm. According to information received, the individual arrived at the İsmail Ağa Mosque in Çarşamba during Friday prayers, fired shots into the air in the courtyard, and then left the scene.

5 SHELL CASINGS FOUND

Police teams arrived at the scene following reports. During their investigation, the teams found 5 shell casings in the courtyard. The vehicle the suspect arrived in was found abandoned on Camcı Çeşmesi Street behind the mosque. The moment of the incident was captured on security cameras.

STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE COMMUNITY

In a statement regarding the matter on the community's social media account, the following expressions were used:

"Statement to the Public

For some time now, we have continued to encounter extremely dangerous incidents that have emerged in various forms in line with operations targeting religious orders and communities. We have witnessed all kinds of defamation and smear campaigns carried out against our community specifically for the past 2.5 years from pulpits, television channels, and through organized trolls on social media.

We have closely followed a process in which all kinds of lies and slanders, including verbal harassment and attacks against the family and grandchildren of our Master Mahmud Efendi and our Master Hasan Efendi, rhetoric targeting individuals by name, the sharing of audio recordings of women, and even associations with terrorist organizations, have been spewed forth with provocative language.

We are following with concern the final point reached by the perception management being carried out in an organized manner from four fronts. We experienced a day where gunshots were heard once again in the courtyard of the İsmailağa Mosque, where we previously martyred two of our teachers, during the Friday sermon.

The provocative incident that occurred today is not a simple or personal event as some claim, but is a part of the operation being carried out against our community. The threats that occurred beforehand are also an indication of this. To underestimate this attack is a behavior no different from turning a blind eye to similar attacks that may follow.

While the legal processes previously initiated regarding the slanders and accusations against our community are being closely followed, a criminal complaint has been filed and an investigation has been launched regarding today's attack. We believe that with the common sense and prayers of our community and our loved ones, this process will conclude safely. Those who wish to hinder the scholarly and charitable services we carry out with effort and devotion will never reach their goals."

Whether the incident is related to the discussions known publicly as a leadership struggle following the passing of the order's leader, Mahmut Ustaosmanoğlu, remains a subject of curiosity. The fact that Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü, known as Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca, one of the prominent figures of the community, does not accept the person known as 'Hasan Efendi,' who was chosen as the new leader of the community, reinforces claims that there are infighting and disputes within the community.

News Source: 12punto