17 February 2017•Update: 17 February 2017
By Hassan Isilow and Felix Tih
PRETORIA, South Africa
The Angolan government on Thursday justified its decision to close a school linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), a group said to be behind the 15 July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.
A statement obtained by Anadolu Agency on Thursday quotes Interior Minister Angelo de Barros Veiga Tavares saying his government was not influenced by any foreign country when taking its decision to close the school.
"The issue that caused [the] government to take the decision to close the college is a matter of great gravity; it has nothing to do with any pressure from any country, but because of factual issues which we will not detail,” the statement read.
This week, local media quoted Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos ordering the closure of the Gulen-run school known as the Colegio Esperanca International or Turkish Luanda College.
Media reports quoted him saying the closure was for security reasons and to protect Angolan citizens, but did not reveal further details.
However, other reports claimed two teachers at the school were accused of activities associated with financing international terrorism and money laundering.
President Dos Santos also ordered the immediate expulsion of over 60 Turkish nationals working at the school and their families.
Turkey has warned African countries against FETO, which Ankara holds responsible for the attempted coup which martyred at least 248 people and wounded around 2,200 others.
Last year, Turkey created the Maarif Foundation to establish schools and education centers abroad.
So far, over 80 FETO organizations operating abroad have been shut down or transferred to the Turkish government.
