Who are the Grey Wolves? Thanks for asking!
The Grey Wolves are a Turkish ultranationalist organisation which has come under the spotlight in several European countries of late. In France, for example, the group has now been officially banned, while there have been calls for the same action to be taken in Germany.
Tell me more about the history of the Grey Wolves and their ideology.
The organisation was founded in the late 1960s as the militant wing of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Its aims include creating a pan-Turkish state, stretching from the Balkans to Central Asia. The Grey Wolves ideology focuses strongly on Turkish history and identity, blended with Islam. Also known as the Idealist Hearths, the group is hostile to virtually all non-Turkish peoples in the country, including Kurds, Armenians and Christians for example. It has a history of political violence against left-wing activists, journalists and intellectuals, dating back to the 1970s. On an international level, perhaps the most notorious Grey Wolf member is Mehmet Ali Agca, who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square in 1981. The Pope was shot and wounded, suffering severe blood loss, but nevertheless survived. The Grey Wolves salute consists of joining together the middle finger, ring finger and thumb to look like the side of a wolf’s face, while raising the little and index fingers in the form of ears. It was banned in Austria early last year, while German politicians have also proposed making it illegal, suggesting it is reminiscent of the Nazi salute.
Why are the Grey Wolves currently being targeted by European governments? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!
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