WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2021) Ankara is in close contact with Washington on the possible extradition of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen and hopes it will happen under the Biden administration, Turkish Ambassador to the United States Hasan Murat Mercan told Sputnik.
"Our relevant authorities and agencies are in close cooperation and dialogue with the American authorities, so I hope some day progress is made," Mercan said. "Of course, we want Fethullah Gulen (FETO) and his disciples to be extradited to Turkey... because Turkey and America are allies and we expect, we try to achieve that objective."
The Turkish government defines the transnational Islamic movement of Fethullah Gulen as FETO which is the acronym for Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization. and has accused Gulen and his movement of being the main initiator of the failed coup attempt of 2016.
Gulen and members of his movement reject the allegations. They define themselves as the Hizmet (service) movement and oppose being defined as a terrorist organization. The US refuses to extradite the activist back home.
