Fethullah Gulen: the cleric Turkey blames for failed coup suggests president may have staged it himself
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the United States to extradite his arch enemy whom he accuses of masterminding Friday’s bloody coup attempt
Fethullah Gulen, the reclusive Muslim cleric accused of inspiring Turkey’s failed coup attempt, lives in exile in a gated compound in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The 74-year-old is said to be in fragile health. His popular movement embracing moderate Islam has bred a global network of organisations, publications, think tanks and schools, among them dozens of charter schools in the United States.
Before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded that the United States extradite Gulen to Turkey because of his alleged role in the coup plot, the charismatic preacher and the conservative leader were staunch allies.
On Saturday, Gulen’s supporters denied any link to the violence. In a statement on its website, the Alliance for Shared Values - the US arm of Gulen’s movement, which is known as Hizmet - called the Turkish government’s claims “highly irresponsible” and said that the group does not support the military’s attempt to take power.
There is a possibility that it could be a staged coup
“We remain concerned about the safety and security of Turkish citizens and those in Turkey right now,” the group said in a statement.