He made the remarks during an event on the theme “Azerbaijani media versus religious radicalism” held at the Press Council on Aug.25.

“The radical religious groups have already been inflicted a crushing blow on,” Hasanov added.

He noted that the “Zaman” newspaper, which is FETO’s mouthpiece in Azerbaijan, and a TV channel that interviewed Fetullah Gulen have already been taken necessary measure against.

“This is going to keep going like this. There’s no room in the state of Azerbaijan for any radical religious group,” he stressed.

Hasanov added that Azerbaijan has chosen to integrate into the world since it gained independence.

“The state of Azerbaijan will prevent radical religious ideologies,” he said. “The media has a lot to do to contribute to this area. The media must produce analytic writings rather than just function as information transmitter. Azerbaijani media has been enlightening the people since the day it first emerged, fighting religious extremism.”

According to him, the positions of the state and the media for some questions may not coincide, but there should be a common position on national issues.

He considered the fight against FETO a topical problem.

The Azerbaijani state continues its fight against religious and ethnic terrorist groups, the PA official said, noting that the country’s Constitution clearly envisages the separation of religion and state.

He recalled that during his speech at the Dialogue Eurasia in 2009, Ali Hasanov, head of the Public and Political Affairs Department at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, seriously criticized them, saying binding dialogue to one person is wrong, an ally of the Azerbaijani state is the Turkish state not some a religious sect.

“He noted that at the event venue the portraits of the two eminent personalities – Heydar Aliyev and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – had to be hanged not some religious leader,” said the PA official, warning that those who have links with terrorist organizations will be responsible before the law.

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