Fethullah Gulen told reporters at his Pennsylvania compound he knows only a “minute fraction” of his legions of sympathizers in Turkey, so he can not speak to their “potential involvement” in the attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
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The government immediately started purging the army, arresting over 2,800 soldiers for their role in the coup.
The president was on vacation at his holiday resort in the south-west of the country when the coup began.
As Turkey woke from a long and surreal evening, the elected government appeared to have re-established control.
Many of those who have been critical of President Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism welcomed the speedy extinguishing of a coup as a victory for democracy, says the BBC’s Middle East World Service Editor Sebastian Usher.
“But no one that I’m aware of saw this coup coming”. We will not leave the squares … but we will continue defiantly. “As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt”.
Speaking earlier in Luxembourg, Kerry said the United States would consider Turkey’s request for Gulen’s extradition on condition that Turkey proves the cleric’s wrongdoing.
Gulen said Saturday the attempted overthrow could have possibly been staged to justify a crackdown by Erdogan.
Turkey’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies lined up to condemn the coup attempt.
“In light of the July 15 coup attempt and its aftermath, we suggest United States citizens reconsider travel to Turkey at this time”, the travel advisory said.
KATHMANDU: Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said Nepalis living in Turkey were safe and cautioned them not to move out in the volatile situation.
United States officials say they’ve not received any request for Gulen’s extradition from the Turkish government. Erdogan immediately pinned the blame on “the parallel state” and “Pennsylvania” – a reference to Gulen, his arch-enemy whom he has always accused of seeking to overthrow him.
U.S. President Barack Obama expressed support for Turkey’s government and urged parties on all sides of the crisis to avoid destabilizing the country and follow the rule of law.
Gulen said that he rejects all military interventions and fully supports a government that emerges from free and fair elections. “I categorically deny such accusations”.
Amid the arrests, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Turkish television that life in the country was back to normal, announcing the central bank, capital markets board, banking system and stock exchange were all functional.
Erdogan’s survival has turned him into a “sort of a mythical figure” and could further erode democracy in Turkey, said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish research program at The Washington Institute.
U.S.-Turkish tensions have grown after forces loyal to the government put down a military coup last night.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had suspended all U.S. airline carriers from flying to or from Istanbul and Ankara Airports.
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Not only are they false, Kerry said, but they also harm relations between the USA and Turkey.
