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Turkish PM urges Donald Trump to extradite Gulen

November 10, 2016 at 2:58 pm

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim yesterday called on US President-elect Donald Trump to extradite the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen as soon as he is sworn in. The Turkish cleric, in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, is blamed by Ankara for the failed coup last July.

According to the United States, the authorities are studying the evidence against Gulen provided by Turkey before deciding on whether or not to extradite the former-ally-now-enemy of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Relations between the two countries have soured since the 15 July coup attempt due to Washington’s refusal to extradite Gulen and its perceived lateness in expressing solidarity with Turkish democracy.

Gulen is accused of coordinating “terrorist” activities in Turkey from his home and headquarters in Pennsylvania through what Erdogan’s government describes as the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO), known as the Hizmet Movement by its own adherents.

Gulen, who has lived in the US since 1999, claims to run a peaceful religious and educational network.

Yildirim also said that he hoped that Trump’s leadership would take into consideration Turkey’s “sensitivities concerning the fight against terrorism” giving priority to policies that would bring peace and stability to the region and advance the traditional friendship between the two countries.