Ankara Asks Berlin to Explain Allegations Turkey Became 'Islamist Platform'

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday asked Berlin to explain alleged German government claims that Turkey is now "the central platform of action for Islamists," stressing that Turkey "sincerely" fights terrorism.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, the ARD broadcaster revealed a classified response by the German Interior Ministry to an opposition faction, alleging that Turkey had become "the central platform of action for Islamist groups" in the Middle East and that Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) seemed to support the ideology of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood extremist group.

"[Ankara] requires an explanation about the statement, to which the ARD news report referred, to be presented by the German authorities," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, adding that the claims were "another indication of [the West’s] distorted mindset which has been attempting to weaken our country."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry accredited Berlin’s statement to "some political circles in Germany" which allegedly have double standards with regard to fighting terrorist groups such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey.

"As a country that sincerely fights all kinds of terrorism disregarding where it comes from, Turkey expects its partners and allies too to act in the same way," the Turkish Ministry's statement reads.

Following the ARD revelation, the German Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that it could not publicly comment on the contents of the revealed document since it was confidential.