Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Legislation
  • War On Terror
  • EU Affairs
  • Elections
  • News Analysis

Turkish-American NGO urges Congress to extradite FETÖ leader Gülen

by DAILY SABAH WITH AA

ISTANBUL Jul 14, 2020 - 9:25 am GMT+3
A group of Turkish-American people protests in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. in this undated file photo (AA File Photo)
A group of Turkish-American people protests in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. in this undated file photo (AA File Photo)
by DAILY SABAH WITH AA Jul 14, 2020 9:25 am
RECOMMENDED
A voter casts her ballot for presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station in a government school in Istanbul, Türkiye, May 14, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Millions vote in Türkiye's presidential, parliamentary elections

elections

The U.S.-based Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) sent Congress a letter Monday requesting the extradition of the leader of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which is behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

The request came as Turkey is preparing to mark the fourth anniversary of the July 15, 2016 coup bid which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

"The Gulen Cult does not represent Turkish Americans, does not stand for Islam, and does not believe in democracy," the letter said. "Fethullah Gulen stands selfishly for his corrupt multi-million dollar network which is the subject of federal and state investigations."

"Furthermore, we Turkish Americans distance ourselves from the Gulen Cult's fundamentalism and anti-Semitism, which it hides under the pretense of inter-faith-dialogue as it attempts to exploit fear of Islam and penetrate American society to gain political influence," it added.

It noted that Gülen's members hijacked NATO assets and turned them against the people on the night of July 15 and the evidence points to Pennsylvania-based Gülen.

"Turkish Americans and the people of Turkey want justice and support Turkey's request for the extradition of Gulen and his lieutenants to stand trial. The United States should not deny justice to the people of Turkey," it urged Congress.

The letter also underlined the "remarkable similarities" between Gülen and Omar Abdel-Rahman, also known as "the Blind Sheikh," who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for a seditious conspiracy based on his sermons that inspired militants to bomb the World Trade Center in New York City in 1993.

Co-chaired by Günay Evinc and Halil Mutlu, all TASC board members signed the letter.

Turkey has issued multiple extradition requests to the U.S. for Gülen but despite close relations between the two countries, they have fallen on deaf ears. So far, Turkey has sent seven folders full of evidence implicating Gülen in a number of criminal cases in Turkey, but Washington has failed to take steps toward extradition. The first request was sent four days after the 2016 coup attempt and, although the United States condemned the illegal operation, it was reluctant to deport FETÖ members to Turkey.

Turkey has also sought a preventive arrest to keep Gülen in the U.S. after reports emerged that the terrorist leader was planning to flee to another country.

Ankara says evidence shows that Gülen's group formed a quasi-state within the Turkish government and attempted to topple it with the ultimate intent of taking over the state through a coup.

The Justice Ministry has so far requested the extradition of 807 members of the terrorist group from 105 countries, including the U.S., Germany, Romania and Belgium. Among them are the group’s leader Fethullah Gülen, as well as Adil Öksüz, who plotted the coup on behalf of Gülen with the aid of top putschist generals. Only 116 members of the group have so far been extradited to Turkey from 27 countries.

RECOMMENDED
A voter casts her ballot for presidential and parliamentary elections at a polling station in a government school in Istanbul, Türkiye, May 14, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Millions vote in Türkiye's presidential, parliamentary elections

elections
  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    gülenist terror group fetullah gülen feto july 15 coup attempt turkey-us relations
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A crude oil tanker sails in the Bosporus, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Dec. 11, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance
     Eastern Anatolian Fault line triggered another fault segment called the Sürgü fault, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Feb. 9, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Accumulated tension of hundreds of years moved Anatolia by 3m

    Harold-Tobin

    Istanbul's spectacular, historical grand bazaars and markets

    Travel

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    What is The Line? A sneak peek at Saudi Arabia's linear megacity
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021