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Islamic creationism, as an organised movement, is relatively new and small, though well funded and apparently growing in influence. It is centred in Turkey, and particularly around the well-funded Foundation for Scientific Research (BAV), headed by Adnan Oktar. Oktar, who has written dozens of books under the pen-name Harun Yahya, is described on his own website as "a prominent Turkish intellectual" who is "completely devoted to moral values"…

… "Darwinism is dying in Turkey, thanks to us," according to BAV"s director, Tarkan Yavas. But it also has bigger ambitions, claiming to be the creationism centre of the world, and looking ahead to Turkey"s possible future membership of the EU. In Yavas"s view: "Darwinism breeds immorality, and an immoral Turkey is of no use to the European Union at all."

One of BAV"s latest publications, the Atlas of Creation, was sent free of charge to scientists and schools in Britain, Scandinavia, France and Turkey earlier this year. The books are also available free of charge on the internet - which makes them a ready source of material for … student essays anywhere in the world.