The government has launched a crackdown in its wake that has seen over 60,000 people within the military, judiciary, civil service and education sector dismissed, detained or put under investigation. US Secretary of State John Kerry is also expected to visit Turkey on August 21.
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Earlier this day, the US State Department Spokesman, Mark Tone, had said that Washington was now reviewing the two sets of documents sent by Ankara as evidence of Gulen’s involvement in the failed coup attempt. Ankara says Fethullah Gulen, an Islamist opposition figure permanently resident in the United States, and FETO backers were behind it. FETO is an acronym widely used in Turkey in relation to different groups associated with Gulen. But Washington has said Ankara must provide clear evidence of Gulen’s involvement in the failed military coup before any handovern process can move forward.
A senior ruling party official says nations need to take action against schools or other establishments linked to a movement led by US -based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of instigating the failed July 15 military coup.
“It is our responsibility to warn countries that have (Gulen-linked) schools”, Eker said.
“The (Gulen movement) is not only a threat to Turkey, it is a threat to all countries in which it has a presence”, Erdogan said during their joint news conference. “This would not be in our interest”. It also called on local branches to avoid “agitation and gossip” during the purges.
The government says Gulen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, masterminded the failed coup attempt by renegade officers in Turkey’s military and wants him extradited to Turkey. The agency said Atalay Demirci had been in contact with two sports personalities who are believed to be followers of the movement. Six other journalists were jailed pending trial last week.
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Germany’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the report, without giving further details.
