The 75-year old Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen was not well known outside of Turkey. However, he is now under the spotlight after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Gulen and his followers were behind the attempted coup on July 15 that rocked the country.
Trained as an imam, Fethullah Gulen gained notice in Turkey in the 1960s, promoting a philosophy that blended a moderate form of Islam with education and interfaith dialogue. His supporters started 1,000 schools in more than 100 countries, including about 150 taxpayer-funded charter schools throughout the United States.
