Germany launches probe into DİTİB’s spying activities on Gülen followers – Turkish Minute

In the wake of a recent confession by the Germany-based Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB) which said some of its imams acted as informants against the sympathizers of the Gülen movement, Germany has launched a probe into DİTİB’s spying activities.

A spokesperson from the German Interior Ministry who spoke to Deutsche Welle on Saturday said: “The probe launched by the security units against DİTİB imams regarding the allegations on the agenda is ongoing. There is an effort to reveal whether the information [relayed to Turkey] has any consequences from the perspective of the criminal law.”

The spokesperson whose name was not revealed by the Deutsche Welle said the ministry expects DİTİB administration to assist the probe.

DİTİB said in a report published in the “Rheinische Post” newspaper on Jan 12 that some of its preachers spied at Turkey’s request.

The Germany’s biggest largest Turkish Islamic group earlier denied allegations that Turkish Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) ordered DİTİB to report on the activities of the Gülen movement.

DİTİB said “some imams wrongly” informed on suspected Gülen followers in Germany.

“We deeply regret this mishap and have spoken to Diyanet about this,” DITIB Secretary-General Bekir Alboğa told Rheinische Post, according to Deutsche Welle.

DİTİB should provide German authorities the names of the imams who collected information or acted on the orders of the Turkish government, Volker Beck, a lawmaker for the opposition Greens told Deutsche Welle.

A document dated Sept. 20, 2016 previously that Diyanet asked Turkish missions and religious representatives abroad to profile Gülen movement expatriates living in their respective foreign countries.