Islamic group leader jailed pending trial in fresh probe

ADANA

(AA photo)

An Adana court on Aug. 23 jailed pending trial the leader of the Furkan Foundation, an Islamic group, and his wife on charges of money laundering and fraud, in the second recent financial crackdown targeting a religious organization in Türkiye.

Counterterrorism police in the southern province launched a pre-dawn operation against the Furkan Foundation on Aug. 19, detaining 32 people, including the foundation’s leader, Alparslan Kuytul. Another 24 suspects were detained over the following three days.

The investigation has been conducted on charges of money laundering, fraud, forgery of official documents and tax evasion.

Following several days of questioning, Kuytul and his wife were jailed pending trial early on Aug. 23.

Members of the Furkan Foundation gathered outside the prison where Kuytul was taken later in the morning, chanting slogans and protesting the court’s decision.

The case against the Furkan Foundation comes days after a similar financial crackdown targeting the Süleymancılar, another religious group in Türkiye.

The group’s leader, Alihan Kuriş, was jailed pending trial on financial crime charges.

More than 100 billion Turkish Liras (over $2 billion) was allegedly transferred abroad through individuals and companies believed to be affiliated with the organization.

Kuriş was reportedly captured while hiding in a concealed compartment inside a house that was not registered in his name.

The community traces its origins to Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan, who founded the religious movement that later became widely known in Türkiye as the “Süleymancılar,” a term referring to his followers.

The group was estimated to have around 2 million followers in Türkiye in the early 1990s, although there is no up-to-date figure for its membership.