Terror suspect now heads Texan university

Şerif Ali Tekalan, a medical professor with an arrest warrant against his name by Turkey for his alleged membership of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), was recently appointed the third president of the North American University based in Houston, Texas.

Tekalan first fled to Europe and then to the United States, after Turkey issued an arrest warrant against him on charges of FETÖ membership.

He is also on the Interior Ministry's most wanted terrorists list, along with all the senior FETÖ members, including its leader, Fetullah Gülen. Turkish authorities have pledged a reward of TL 750,000 ($205,829) for information leading to his capture.

However, it is unclear how Tekalan, a former rector at the FETÖ-linked Fatih University, was appointed the president of a university in a country like the U.S. which is Turkey's close ally.

Turkey has recently stepped up its efforts to get Gülen, who resides in Pennsylvania, extradited from the U.S. after the July 15 coup attempt was linked to the terror group. Media outlets, however, have reported how Washington has dragged down the process.

Tekalan's name first came up during an investigation into a cheating scandal. He disappeared after an arrest warrant was issued for him linking him with mass cheating in Turkey's Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS).

Later, he briefly emerged in Paris, posting selfies in front of Eiffel Tower before going into hide out again, only to emerge as the president of the North American University in Houston, which is known for its links to Gülenists.

Tekalan was implicated in the KPSS case for his close relations with two suspects at large who are accused of supplying questions and answers for the 2010 KPSS exam to thousands of people linked to the FETÖ.

Şerif Ali Tekalan is also accused of being one of closest aides of Gülen. He apparently served as an "imam" or point man for Gülen during his time in Turkey, relaying the FETÖ leader's schemes to seize power in the country, to his followers.