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| Turkey officials to demand extradition of Fethullah Gülen from US | Turkey officials to demand extradition of Fethullah Gülen from US |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Turkey’s foreign and justice ministers are due to travel to the US to demand the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, the US-based Turkish imam accused by the government of masterminding the abortive coup attempt that led to the deaths of 265 people and the dismissal of tens of thousands of public servants. | Turkey’s foreign and justice ministers are due to travel to the US to demand the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, the US-based Turkish imam accused by the government of masterminding the abortive coup attempt that led to the deaths of 265 people and the dismissal of tens of thousands of public servants. |
| Related: Fethullah Gülen: who is the man Turkey's president blames for coup attempt? | Related: Fethullah Gülen: who is the man Turkey's president blames for coup attempt? |
| The Turkish justice minister Bekir Bozdag on Thursday accused Gülen of plotting the coup for decades, and said he would have returned to Turkey if the military plotters had not been thwarted. He had warned that Gülen, who has lived in rural Pennyslvania for years, could flee the US to seek political asylum to Australia, Mexico, Canada, South Africa or Egypt. | The Turkish justice minister Bekir Bozdag on Thursday accused Gülen of plotting the coup for decades, and said he would have returned to Turkey if the military plotters had not been thwarted. He had warned that Gülen, who has lived in rural Pennyslvania for years, could flee the US to seek political asylum to Australia, Mexico, Canada, South Africa or Egypt. |
| Turkish officials say they regard the evidence of Gülen complicity as overwhelming, and that any failure by the US to cooperate with the extradition will have long-term consequences for Turkish-US diplomatic relations. | Turkish officials say they regard the evidence of Gülen complicity as overwhelming, and that any failure by the US to cooperate with the extradition will have long-term consequences for Turkish-US diplomatic relations. |
| The US has denied any prior knowledge of the coup attempt, but Turkish officials have noted that the coup plotters included senior Turkish officers at the strategic Incirlik air base used by US fighter jets to bomb Syria. | The US has denied any prior knowledge of the coup attempt, but Turkish officials have noted that the coup plotters included senior Turkish officers at the strategic Incirlik air base used by US fighter jets to bomb Syria. |
| Some Turkish media outlets have claimed a former US general John Campbell, who retired from the US-led military coalition in Afghanistan in May, planned the failed coup. The allegation has been rejected as absurd. | Some Turkish media outlets have claimed a former US general John Campbell, who retired from the US-led military coalition in Afghanistan in May, planned the failed coup. The allegation has been rejected as absurd. |
| Turkey will have to present US authorities with a list of the criminal charges against Gülen, proof that similar charges exist under US law, and a clear set of evidence that amounts to more than surmise or hearsay. The extradition warrant would have to be issued by a judge. | Turkey will have to present US authorities with a list of the criminal charges against Gülen, proof that similar charges exist under US law, and a clear set of evidence that amounts to more than surmise or hearsay. The extradition warrant would have to be issued by a judge. |
| American officials remain sceptical about the standard of evidence, and point out that Gülen was once a political ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. | American officials remain sceptical about the standard of evidence, and point out that Gülen was once a political ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. |
| Abdurrahman Bilgic, the Turkish ambassador to London, said: “We have been warning friends and allies about the real motives and hidden agenda of this terrorist group and its leader, Fetullah Gülen. The treacherous coup plot has revealed the real face of Fetullah Gülen and his sinister organization. In fact, it was more than a plot. | Abdurrahman Bilgic, the Turkish ambassador to London, said: “We have been warning friends and allies about the real motives and hidden agenda of this terrorist group and its leader, Fetullah Gülen. The treacherous coup plot has revealed the real face of Fetullah Gülen and his sinister organization. In fact, it was more than a plot. |
| “What happened on the night of 15 July was an act of terror, killing hundreds of people wounding thousands.” | “What happened on the night of 15 July was an act of terror, killing hundreds of people wounding thousands.” |
| Bilgic said that it was “crystal clear” that the coup attempt was led by a network of military officers affiliated with Gülen’s organisation. He said: “Recent testimonies of those who played key roles in the plot all point to this direction.” | Bilgic said that it was “crystal clear” that the coup attempt was led by a network of military officers affiliated with Gülen’s organisation. He said: “Recent testimonies of those who played key roles in the plot all point to this direction.” |
| The US response to the extradition request may be coloured by repeated warnings that Turkey’s parliament may reintroduce the death penalty for some of the coup plotters. US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is committed to ending the death penalty, but is also an advocate of a more interventionist stance in Syria, and so is dependent on Turkish cooperation. Turkey is a member of Nato, and a turn away from the west would have massive strategic consequences. | The US response to the extradition request may be coloured by repeated warnings that Turkey’s parliament may reintroduce the death penalty for some of the coup plotters. US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is committed to ending the death penalty, but is also an advocate of a more interventionist stance in Syria, and so is dependent on Turkish cooperation. Turkey is a member of Nato, and a turn away from the west would have massive strategic consequences. |
| Bilgic said Turkey’s parliament will consider whether to reintroduce the death penalty in a calmer climate, but warned that a US refusal to extradite Gülen would have wider consequences. | Bilgic said Turkey’s parliament will consider whether to reintroduce the death penalty in a calmer climate, but warned that a US refusal to extradite Gülen would have wider consequences. |
| Recent months have seen growing signs of a rapprochement between Turkey and Russian president Vladimir Putin, but Turkish officials insist this trend was underway before the coup and should not be seen as a reflection of any anger with the US. | Recent months have seen growing signs of a rapprochement between Turkey and Russian president Vladimir Putin, but Turkish officials insist this trend was underway before the coup and should not be seen as a reflection of any anger with the US. |
| Turkish government is deepy frustrated at what it regards as the lack of western support for the wide crackdown in the wake of the coup. | Turkish government is deepy frustrated at what it regards as the lack of western support for the wide crackdown in the wake of the coup. |
| As part of a three-month state of emergency, the Turkish government has rounded up not just coup plotters in the army, but dissident journalists, 3,000 judges, teachers, bankers and foreign ministry diplomats. Almost 16,000 public servants have been detained and 50,000 fired. Amnesty International said on Thursday that arrest warrants have been issued for 89 journalists, more than 40 have already been detained and others are in hiding. A second emergency decree passed on 27 July has resulted in the shutdown of 131 media outlets. | |
| Among the armed forces’ 325 most senior officers, 149 have been sacked and on Wednesday nearly 1,700 personnel were dishonourably discharged for their role in the putsch. On Thursday Turkey’s top military council decided to keep the head of the armed forces, General Hulusi Akar, in his post and made few changes to the top brass. | |
| In London the Liberal Democrats called for Turkey to be expelled from Nato saying its crackdown on civil liberties took the country outside the Nato family. | In London the Liberal Democrats called for Turkey to be expelled from Nato saying its crackdown on civil liberties took the country outside the Nato family. |