According to Rotterdam council member Anita Fahmel, the Turkish Fethullah Gulen movement is an “Islamic fundamentalist” group, on the basis of her own study of the Turkish movement. Fahmel claims that the movement plays an important role in the Islamization of Turkey, and uses intimidation, discrimination, and oppression to manifest strength. Her conclusions are based on a study of the Bogazici University, one of the most prominent universities in Turkey. However, the Dutch intelligence service claimed that the movement is not dangerous to the state. Fethullah Gulen has thousands of supporters in the Netherlands, and is active in education, media, and business activities, and has founded a school in Rotterdam. Fahmel says that she hopes the study that the movement holds influence in Rotterdam “and that this influence raises barriers against integration, freedom, education and security” will garnish significant response.
