The trend worries secular Turkish politicians, who believe the state's central tenet is under threat.

The mass uprising that began in April has discredited many secular politicians backed by the Americans.

He has all the earmarks of a secular politician; and yet he is at the same time a charter member of the perfectionist caucus.

The truly secular politician does what the former Senator Alfonse D'Amato did.

They have targeted security forces, police, secular politicians and government-run schools.

Sunni Arab and secular politicians, whose accusations prompted the investigation, expressed disappointment about the report, which was released via e-mail.

As is happening now, women's groups and secular female politicians took to the streets.

But he gives a hint of the intransigence that the country's secular politicians fear if he and his associates were ever to assume power.

The only reason he is in power is that Turkey's secular politicians, representing the other 79 percent, wouldn't work together.

The secular politicians succumbed, afraid that the religious parties might not support them if the reform bill failed and they were in need of coalition partners again.