It can be said that behind every political step taken in recent years is Erdogan's desire to remain the sole power holder in the administration. - Fethullah Gülen

I pray for mercy and forgiveness from God Almighty to those who lost their lives in this tragic incident, patience and fortitude to those who lost their relatives, speedy recovery to our injured citizens, and safe rescue of our citizens waiting to be rescued under the rubble.

I cursed the incident while it was happening and denied the accusations made against me. I invited Erdogan to establish an international commission of inquiry and promised to buy my own ticket and return if they agreed to their verdict and found me guilty. They didn't even respond to my offer. This shows that they have a lot to hide. As a matter of fact, they could not convince the world of their slander. I think July 15 is a scenario in which Erdogan is also involved. The truth will emerge over time, with God's permission.

For the past 50 years, I have been fortunate to take part in a civil society movement, sometimes referred to as Hizmet, whose participants and supporters include millions of Turkish citizens. These citizens have committed themselves to interfaith dialogue, community service, relief efforts and making life-changing education accessible. They have established more than 1,000 modern secular schools, tutoring centers, colleges, hospitals and relief organizations in over 150 countries. They are teachers, journalists, businessmen and ordinary citizens.