Istanbul, Ankara: Turkey vowed to root out allies of the US-based cleric it blames for an abortive coup last week, widening a purge of the army, police and judiciary on Tuesday to the education sector, intelligence agency and religious authorities.
President Tayyip Erdogan and the government accuse Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating a failed military takeover on Friday in which at least 232 people were killed, and have called in speeches for his extradition from the United States. Erdogan’s spokesman said a formal extradition request was being prepared.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused Washington, which said it will only consider extradition if clear evidence is provided, of double standards in its fight against terrorism.
Yildirim said the justice ministry had sent a dossier to US authorities on Gulen, whose religious movement blends conservative, Islamic values with a pro-Western outlook and who has a network of supporters within Turkey.
“We have more than enough evidence, more than you could ask for, on Gulen,” Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told reporters outside parliament. “There is no need to prove the coup attempt, all evidence shows that the coup attempt was organised on his will and orders.” “DIG UP THEIR ROOTS” Ankara says followers of Gulen, who lives on a compound in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountains, have infiltrated Turkey’s institutions and are running a “parallel state”.
Authorities have suspended or detained close to 35,000 soldiers, police, judges and civil servants since the coup bid.
Seeking to quash any suggestion of lingering instability, the army said it had resumed full control.
