Turkey to US: Extradite Gulen

Dar es Salaam. Turkey is accusing Fethullah Gulen, who is in a self-imposed exile in the US, of being a key mastermind in the July 15, failed coup attempt.

Instanbul says it has requested the US to extradite Mr Gulen from the country he has been living in since 1999.  The country believes Mr Gulen leads a terrorist group known as a parallel state structure or the Gulenist Terrorist Organisation.

In his statement to The Citizen, the Turkish Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Yasemin Eralp, said the failed coup attempt that killed 246 people and injured around 2000 others, was masterminded by the accused person. “The attack was thwarted in less than 24 hours with many people detained. According to the gathered testimony, it is clear that Gulen was behind the coup attempt,” reads the statement in part.

Ms Eralp said the attempt targeted the people, elected President, the executive, state institutions and public administrations, the Turkish Armed Forces and most importantly the rule of law and democracy.

She said during a coup ranked to be the largest, bloodiest and most violent in the country’s history, they deployed fighter jets, helicopters, tanks and snipers targeting civilians.

According to the ambassador, Gulen’s organisation is active in many countries, including in Africa, to which he poses threats.  It has a network in more than 100 countries. They are particularly involved in education activities.