Turkey’s demands for the extradition of the USA -based cleric blamed for a failed July coup should not be disregarded and bilateral agreements between Ankara and Washington require his detention, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
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Turkey’s government has reportedly submitted a formal request to the United States to extradite Islamic cleric and leader of the Hizmet movement, Fethullah Gulen, following the failed coup in the country on 15 July (2016).
Erdogan said he will tell U.S. Vice President Joe Biden that the United States does not “have the right to hem and haw”.
Turkey has submitted numerous requests for Gulen’s extradition based on various alleged crimes, but none of the requests has involved crimes related to the coup attempt, the USA official said.
“We will abide by our system”.
“We can work with the Turks to present evidence to court, but the court decides”, he said. He also toured the parliament building that was bombed twice during the failed coup attempt July 15.
Gulen, a Turkish Islamic cleric who has lived in the U.S. since 1999, denies the charges.
Earlier this month, President Erdogan issued an ultimatum to the United States, saying it must choose between Turkey and the US-based Turkish cleric. “But the agreement between the United States and Turkey requires the detention of such people”. For Ankara, YPG is a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“This shows the matter is being taken seriously by the US”, he said. Turkey’s longstanding gripes with Gulen could provide fodder for such an argument, though the treaty does say any offense committed against a head of state can’t be classified as of a “political character”.
“Working through the [extradition] process will take time”. At least 16,000 people have been formally arrested in connection with the coup attempt, with more than 26,000 being detained.
In the wake of the coup attempt, Turkish leaders have accused the U.S. of insufficient support for the government and even alleged possible American involvement – which the Obama administration has strenuously denied.
In the aftermath of the uprising last month, Erdogan has launched a massive roundup of officials throughout the military and civil service, in what critics warn could be an excuse for him to move further towards authoritarianism.
Vice President Joe Biden is also expected in Turkey on Wednesday. Biden said to reporters.
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“Let’s give them some time”. He said a team of lawyers dispatched from Washington to review the case “is clear sign from your side that you’re taking this seriously and attaching great importance to it”.
