Fethullah Gulen directly involved in coup, says Turkish PM

Turkey's prime minister has said testimony from suspects detained in the aftermath of the attempted coup has pointed to the direct involvement of Fethullah Gulen, an exiled cleric based in Pennsylvania.

Binali Yildirim said the Turkish government had not yet requested Mr Gulen’s extradition, but would do so once the investigation was complete, with the expectation Washington would comply with the request, hinting the strategic alliance between the two countries could suffer if it did not.

"Turkey and the US have had friendly, amicable relations, allies and strategic partners for a very long time, and we do not believe that they are going to stand by the leader of this terrorist organisation," Mr Yildirim said. "Of course, since the leader of this terrorist organisation is residing in the United States there are question marks in the minds of the people whether there is any US involvement or backing," he said in an interview with the Guardian, noting Washington was not involved. "So America from this point on should really think how they will continue to co-operate with Turkey, which is a strategic ally for them in the region and world."

Bombing base

Turkey, a Nato member, last year agreed to allow the US to use its Incirlik airbase for bombing missions against the Islamic State over the border in Syria.

US secretary of state John Kerry has said the US would consider an extradition request if Turkey could supply "legitimate evidence that withstands scrutiny". Turkey has so far provided limited public evidence of the role of Mr Gulen and his Hizmet organisation, but Mr Yildirim said it would make its case to Washington in a formal extradition request.

“The files pertaining to their involvement in this coup attempt have not been sent yet. They will be sent and will leave no doubt whatsoever as to their involvement in this.”

During the attempted coup, military personnel commandeered fighter jets, tanks and attack helicopters in an attempt to overthrow the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his government. More than 200 were killed and thousands wounded, with attacks by the plotters against the parliament, police headquarters and national intelligence building.

Post-coup testimonies

Mr Yildirim claimed the testimony of coup organisers detained as well as members of the senior command taken hostage pointed to the cleric.

Since the defeat of the coup, the Turkish government has declared a state of emergency, partially withdrawing from the European convention on human rights and extending detention times. It has also ordered a purge of military, police, bureaucratic and academic institutions, resulting in thousands detained and tens of thousands fired or suspended from their jobs over suspected links to the Gulenist movement. –(Guardian service)