U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would entertain an extradition request for Gulen, but Turkey would have to present “legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny”.
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The government maintains that Fethullah Gulen, a USA -based Muslim cleric, was behind the coup, and has vociferously demanded his extradition. “The people have the opinion that these terrorists should be killed. why should I keep them and feed them in prisons for years to come, that’s what the people say”.
With Turkey’s big cities still on edge, Turkish security forces killed an armed attacker who shot at them from a vehicle outside the Ankara courthouse where suspects from the failed coup were appearing before judges.
The agency later said Erdogan’s Air Force adviser, Lt. Col. Erkan Kivrak, had been detained at a hotel where he was vacationing in the Serik district of Turkey’s southern province of Antalya.
News of the firings and detentions came as the USA and European Union urged the government to uphold democracy and human rights as it pursues the military officers and anyone else involved in the coup attempt.
Death penalty In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Ankara that reinstating the death penalty, as broached by Mr Erdogan after the coup was thwarted, would “in no way” be compatible with Turkey’s goal of European Union membership.
Authorities have said around 6,000 people have been detained so far in the investigation into Friday’s coup attempt which Mr Erdogan has blamed on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Some in the US administration think the detention of thousands of military officers, police, judges and prosecutors in the wake of the failed plot already has been excessive.
The president added Turkey is “a democratic state run by rule of law”, and “you can not put aside the people’s demands”.
The crackdown targeted not only generals and soldiers, but a wide swath of the judiciary that has sometimes blocked Erdogan, raising concerns that the effort to oust him will push Turkey even further into authoritarian rule.
“If the AKP is ready, we are in for the death penalty”, Bahceli said.
Around 1,400 others were wounded as soldiers commandeered tanks, attack helicopters and warplanes in their bid to seize power, strafing parliament and the intelligence headquarters and trying to seize the main airport and bridges in Istanbul.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, meanwhile, reflected the triumphant mood of authorities.
However, EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogeherini said Monday that Turkey would be barred from joining the bloc if it reinstated the death penalty.
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The official said Turkey’s military command had been dealt “a heavy blow in terms of organisation” but was still functioning in coordination with the intelligence agency, police and the government. But, if there are media outlets that sided with and supported the plotters of the attempted coup, the justice system would need to take steps, he said. Some high-ranking military officials involved in the plot have fled overseas, he said. “They’re suffering so the people are very sensitive and we have to act very sensibly and sensitively”. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu described Hahn’s comments as “unacceptable”.
