The United States is evaluating new documents sent by Turkey to push for the extradition of USA -based cleric Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of the country’s recent failed coup, a State Department spokesman said on Thursday.
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The Turkish government has sent Washington 85 boxes of documents in connection with its demand that the United States extradite a cleric Ankara accuses of backing last months coup attempt in Turkey.
The Istanbul court issued the warrant for “ordering the 15 July coup attempt”, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Istanbul First Court of Peace ruled for the arrest of Gulen, the first warrant issued against the USA -based Islamic cleric concerning the July 15 coup attempt.
The head of a top European rights watchdog Thursday urged Turkey to show restraint in its crackdown on suspects linked to the failed July 15 coup that has seen thousands detained.
Gulen is accused by Turkish authorities of masterminding the botched coup and of seeking to topple Turkey’s constitutionally legitimate system.
“Without doubt, this organisation has an extension in the business world”.
The statement gave no details on why so many officials had been dismissed but local reports say many of them were in some way linked to the military whose recent uprising was quashed before it had time to take root. Such comments raise questions about the potential fairness of Gulen’s treatment in Turkey, they said.
Earlier on Thursday, Erdogan vowed to go after businesses connected to Gülen.
Erdogan pointed out that Turkey will continue to fight the Gulen movement as before.
“In the same way that we do not pardon those who fire the bullet, we will not forgive those who financed the bullet”, Erdogan added.
Business is the arena in which the network of Fethullah Gulen is still the strongest, Erdogan said in a speech from his palace broadcast live. “At this point, every school, every cram school, every home of this organization is a nest of terrorism”.
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At the same event, he also said it was imperative for the country to remain vigilant and chase down Gulen followers. “In Africa, we know that they work as nurseries (for terror) and we want to warn them”.
