He has also praised the Turkish people who took to the streets against the military.
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President Erdogan has levelled the finger of blame for Friday’s coup squarely at Gulen.
In a statement meant for US President Barack Obama, Erdogan said: “I told you myself, either deport or hand over to us this person who lives in 400 acres of land in Pennsylvania”. You didn’t listen. I call you on you again, after the coup attempt – extradite this man from Pennsylvania to Turkey. “I say if we are strategic partners then you should bring about our request”, he said.
“The United States will obviously be supportive of any legitimate legislative efforts and, under due process and within the law, we will be completely supportive of efforts to assist the government of Turkey if they so request”.
US Secretary of State John Kerry was speaking after Turkey’s labour minister suggested the US was behind the coup.
He said all USA embassy personnel had been accounted for and the United States was working to determine that all of U.S. citizens were taken care of and protected.
While denying the allegation of being responsible for the coup, Gulen said he condemned “in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey”. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim described the night as “a black mark on Turkish democracy” and said the perpetrators “will receive every punishment they deserve”.
Mr Gulen, 75, was once a close ally of Mr Erdogan but the two fell out in recent years as Mr Erdogan became suspicious of Mr Gulen’s movement, Hizmet, and its powerful presence in Turkish society – including the media, police and judiciary. At least 194 people were killed in the turmoil.
In a separate comment, Prime Minister Yildirim said that any country that stands by Gulen would be considered at war with Turkey.
Arrest warrants were issued for 2,745 judges in what was widely expected to mark the start of a purge of opposition forces.
Fatemi had earlier expressed solidarity with the Turkish government on behalf of the people and the government of Pakistan after a group of Turkish army attempted a fail coup to topple the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Crews in Istanbul have pretty much cleaned up the mess, and life is nearly back to normal”, he wrote.
Fethullah Gulen opened the doors of his compound at the Golden Generation Worship and Retreat Center in Ross Township, Monroe County, on Saturday afternoon to address the accusation.
Still, the bustling streets were largely empty till evening.
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Thousands of people heeded Mr Erdogan’s call to rise up against the coup-plotters, and by Saturday morning the rebel soldiers began to surrender their positions.
