Turkey’s Erdogan threatens to ban Twitter

Turkey’s prime minister has warned that he would eradicate Twitter after a number of audio recordings anonymously posted on social media purportedly exposed corruption in his inner circle.

“We will wipe out Twitter. I don’t care what the international community says,” premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an election rally in the western province of Bursa on Thursday.

“They will see the Turkish republic’s strength,” he added, according to the AFP news agency.

Early this month, Erdogan warned that his government could ban popular social media networks Youtube and Facebook after the crucial March 30 local election, triggering US concern.

Erdogan, Turkey’s leader since 2003, has been under mounting pressure after audio recordings allegedly showed his involvement in corruption, and others portraying him interfering in business deals, court cases and media coverage.

He dismissed most of the recordings as “vile” fakes concocted by his rivals.

Corruption probe

Erdogan’s government has been rocked by a vast corruption probe launched in December which saw dozens of people rounded up, including the premier’s close business and political allies.

The Turkish leader has accused associates of a former staunch ally – US-exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen – of being behind the graft probe in which Erdogan allegedly instructs his son to dispose of large amounts of cash from a residence.

Gulen however has denied any involvement.

Turkey recently tightened government control of the internet saying it wanted to defend privacy.

Erdogan’s critics said the new law was a further bid to hush up corruption allegations flooding social media and video sharing sites.