US-based Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen conveyed a message of condolence for the victims of a terrorist attack at an İstanbul nightclub and condemned the terrorist act that claimed the lives of at least 39 people and wounded 69 others.
In a message shared on the Alliance for Shared Values (AFSV) website on Sunday, Gülen said: “I condemn, in the strongest terms, the New Year’s Eve terrorist attack in an Istanbul nightclub that cost the lives of at least three dozen people and wounded dozens more.”
Gülen’s message continues as follows:
“I pray that God grant mercy and forgiveness to those who lost their lives during a time normally reserved for celebration, hope and renewal. I extend my condolences to their families and relatives and to people of Turkey and other nations who lost their citizens. I pray for the quick recovery of the wounded.
I once again condemn all forms of terrorism, no matter what purpose the perpetrators believe it serves. I urge the Turkish authorities, with the support of the international community, to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The attack finished a year of unspeakable tragedy for Turkey and the Turkish people. I pray that the new year brings comfort and peace instead of strife and war.”
The AFSV is a nonprofit cultural organizations based in New York that describes itself as affiliated with the Gülen movement, or Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by prominent preacher and peace advocate Fethullah Gülen.