WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2019) Turkey recently provided US authorities with more evidence to support their request to extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara regards as the mastermind of a failed 2016 coup, but Washington considered the proof insufficient, Turkish Ambassador to the United States Serdar Kilic told Sputnik.
"We have provided very recently additional evidence but unfortunately, apparently, it does not work with the US authorities," Kilic said on Monday. "They are still working on it, they are still asking for additional information, claiming that the information we have provided is not sufficient."
Following the attempted coup in mid-2016, Ankara detained thousands of journalists, diplomats, judges, members of the military and human rights activists, accusing them of links to Gulen and having a role in the attempt to overthrow the government. The cleric, living in self-imposed exile in the United States, has denied any involvement.
Turkish authorities have repeatedly sent extradition files to Washington, which has denied its requests to hand over Gulen.
Asked about the latest developments in the Gulen case, Kilic said, "There is no development. This is the problem, no update."
"So, we are waiting for his extradition to Turkey and there has been no development in that regard. We are still waiting," the ambassador said.
Turkey on Monday the third anniversary of the attempted coup, in which more than 300 people were killed and another 2,000 injured.
