Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said in a televised interview on Thursday that there are intelligence reports that say Fethullah Gülen is planning to flee the U.S. Bozdağ said the main destinations Gülen is claimed to be considering are Mexico, Canada, Egypt, Australia and South Africa.

Reiterating the importance of Gülen's extradition, he said: "It will be important for the U.S. to prove its faith in democracy, as not returning him might affect the U.S. public negatively," Bozdağ insinuated, adding: "We will go to the U.S. and convey the information and findings we have."Asserting that an aftershock of the coup attempt is possible, Bozdağ said Gülen still presents a danger, not only for Turkey, but also for the U.S. "There is a structuring of this organization [FETÖ] in other countries, as well. This structuring might become a menace for them as it did in Turkey," he speculated.

He said that the Gülenist Terror Organization (FETÖ) was getting ready for the July 15 coup attempt for the last 40 years and that this is the work of a "mind" that seeped into all the echelons of government. "Fethullah Gülen was going to return to Turkey just the way [Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini returned from Paris to Iran," Bozdağ said. Khomeini's return to Iran from exile after the 1979 revolution precipitated the coming of the new political regime of the country.

Bozdağ asserted that there is enough evidence to prove Gülen was behind the failed coup and those under Gülen's command should be exposed, including the Peace at Home Council as well as external supporters in order to ward off any further attempts. Drawing attention to Gülen's recent statements telling the putschists not to be confessors and that the joy of Turkey's public will not be far off, Bozdağ said that it is certain that Gülen will do his best to "spoil" the evidence.

Once again asserting that there is new evidence coming to light concerning the coup attempt, Bozdağ said testimonies and evidence have not been classified yet. He also drew attention to contradictions in statements taken, saying: "While many denied being involved in the coup, evidence such as camera recordings might disprove these statements." He said that the incidents that took place at Akıncı Air Base and many other bases will be illuminated and that the case is fresh and the results are prone to change.

Bozdağ also announced that the decisions taken in Thursday's Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting will immediately be put into effect after being published in the Official Gazette instead of waiting for the handover ceremony to take place on Aug. 30, Victory Day, as planned.

At least 246 people, including members of the security forces and civilians, were killed during the failed coup and more than 2,100 others were wounded in the ensuing demonstrations on the night of the attempted coup.