Int'l criminal law specialist: US must extradite Gülen
International criminal law specialist and former judge, Lee Hudspeth, told a Turkish daily Akşam that the U.S. must extradite Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) leader Fethullah Gülen, otherwise it would be a politically-motivated decision.Hudspeth, who has previously made many decisions on extradition cases, said that the terrorist leader must be extradited to Turkey. "If the U.S. does not extradite Gülen, it is not a legal decision but a political one," he asserted.
Hudspeth stressed that Gülen's crimes are not political, which according to him paves the way for his extradition. "Gülen cannot appeal the extradition decision," he added.
Turkey has been requesting the extradition of Gülen for a long time. Following the bloody July 15 coup attempt, Ankara has accelerated its efforts regarding the issue. On July 19, the White House said that an official request has been submitted by Turkey for the extradition of Gülen.
In late August, a senior U.S. official confirmed that U.S. authorities have received a number of Turkish extradition requests for Gülen.
Erdoğan has repeatedly said that Washington has no excuse for keeping Gülen, whose followers have infiltrated Turkish state institutions over decades with the apparent aim of taking over the country.
"If the U.S. is our strategic ally and our NATO partner ... then it should not allow a terrorist like Gülen run his group," Erdoğan said in an interview on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this week.
When U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Turkey on Aug. 24, he insisted that Turkey present concrete evidence that Gülen gave the orders to carry out the coup attempt.
Hudspeth stressed that Gülen's crimes are not political, which according to him paves the way for his extradition. "Gülen cannot appeal the extradition decision," he added.
Turkey has been requesting the extradition of Gülen for a long time. Following the bloody July 15 coup attempt, Ankara has accelerated its efforts regarding the issue. On July 19, the White House said that an official request has been submitted by Turkey for the extradition of Gülen.
In late August, a senior U.S. official confirmed that U.S. authorities have received a number of Turkish extradition requests for Gülen.
Erdoğan has repeatedly said that Washington has no excuse for keeping Gülen, whose followers have infiltrated Turkish state institutions over decades with the apparent aim of taking over the country.
"If the U.S. is our strategic ally and our NATO partner ... then it should not allow a terrorist like Gülen run his group," Erdoğan said in an interview on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this week.
When U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Turkey on Aug. 24, he insisted that Turkey present concrete evidence that Gülen gave the orders to carry out the coup attempt.