On 20 March, 2009, Yeni Müsavat, one of Azerbaijan’s most popular dailies, carried an interview it had conducted with Adnan Oktar. The main subject matter in the interview in the paper, published in Azeri and enjoying an average circulation of 20,000, was the need for Azerbaijan and Turkey to unite. Mr. Oktar said that it was easy for everyone to write to the government demanding that Turkey amalgamate with Azerbaijan, saying that we want no visa or passport formalities between the two countries, that the borders should be fully opened up and that there is no point in prolonging the issue. He went on to say that it would be a good thing for the Armenian and Azeri borders to be opened up at the same time on the same day; for example, the two borders should be opened up on a Friday, after Friday prayers, with the words “ya Allah, bismillah.” Mr. Oktar said that the economic crisis was like the flood of the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him), that it would engulf all countries that, by Allah’s leave, the only ark that can save them is the Turkish-Islamic Union, and that only those who board the ark can be saved. He also imparted the glad tidings that Hazrat Mahdi is already among us and will lead the Turkish-Islamic Union, and that nobody can prevent this happening.
