Tag: Fethullah Gülen

Two former associates of ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn have been charged with "covertly and unlawfully" trying to influence American politicians in a plot to extradite a Turkish cleric living in the U.S. Bijan Kian, 66, and Kamil Ekim Alptekin, 41, were charged Monday with conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government. Flynn does not appear in the indictment by name but is referred to as "Person A" and described as having a key role in the plot that prosecutors say was orchestrated by the Turkish government. The charges were brought less than two weeks after Flynn was described in court papers as having provided substantial assistance in several investigations. Flynn, in pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators last year, also admitted to making false statements about his foreign lobbying work. "He claimed to be a man of God who wanted to be a dictator." According to the indictment, the defendants used Flynn's firm, the now-dissolved Flynn Intel Group where Kian was a partner, to damage Gulen's reputation and kept secret that the work was directed by the Turkish government. "We are ready to engage on what needs to be done," Kian wrote, the indictment says. On a weekly basis, Kian and Flynn held calls with Alptekin to update him on the progress of the project, the court papers say. He has been cooperating with investigators. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team has argued that he should receive a light sentence in exchange for his cooperation.

Former White House national security adviser Mike Flynn and his son are alleged to have been offered as much as $15 million to forcibly remove from the US a Muslim cleric wanted by Turkey, The Wall Street Journal reports.