Erdogan urges US to extradite Fetullah Gulen
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has demanded the US for extradition Fethullah Gulen, NTV TV reports on Saturday.
He also noted that the movement of Fethullah Gulen, Islamic public figure currently residing in the US, stands behind the attempted military coup.
Addressing a crowd in Istanbul less than 24 hours after his call for the public to take the streets helped end a coup, Erdogan said Turkey had asked the U.S. many times to extradite Pennsylvania-based preacher Gulen, an expatriate Turk, Azertag reported
"I had told you [the U.S.] to deport or give this person back to Turkey."
"I had told you that this person was in a preparation for a coup against Turkey, but I could not make you listen to me," Erdogan said.
Reiterating his demand, Erdogan said, "I repeat my call on the U.S. and president [Barack Obama], give this person back to Turkey."
Erdogan also emphasized that Friday’s failed coup had not come from within the higher echelons of the army but instead "a small minority within the military."
"They [Gulen supporters] were like a tumor within the military, and now this tumor is being removed," he added.
Friday night saw military elements make a “vile” attempt to overthrow Turkey’s elected government, according to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. Around 160 people were martyred in the ensuing violence.
Some 2,839 military personnel involved in the coup attempt have been arrested, and 20 pro-coup soldiers, including some senior officers, were killed in the attempt to overthrow the government.
The coup attempt was suppressed by early Saturday, with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stating that all coup supporters were identified and would be apprehended as the country was returning to normal life.
Over 180 people were killed and 1,470 were injured during the events, while nearly 3,000 people have already been detained, according to the prime minister.
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