ANKARA - Turkey's secularist security establishment, encouraged by the weakening of the Islamist led government, took a campaign against religious activism straight to the front door of the Prime Minister, Mr Necmettin Erbakan, yesterday. A quasi military court began hearing a case against the preacher at a mosque in the courtyard of Mr Erbakan's Welfare Party head quarters, the Anatolian news agency said.
Police officials said they had closed down more than 20 buildings in two western districts where Islamists were teaching Koranic lessons without licences.
The ruling alliance took a body blow at the weekend when two anti Islamist ministers resigned in protest at Mr Erbakan's failure to curtail a religious upsurge, as demanded by the military. Mr Erhakan's attempts to stall the army has angered many deputies in his coalition allies' True Path Party. Party leader, Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Tansu Ciller, yesterday reiterated her commitment to the government.