18 May 2018•Update: 18 May 2018
By Baris Gundogan
ANKARA
Turkish Deputy Minister Bekir Bozdag on Friday blasted Republican People's Party (CHP) presidential candidate Muharrem Ince's claims that Turkey had not duly requested the extradition of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) leader Fetullah Gulen to Turkey.
Ince claimed on Thursday on a TV channel that he received a phone call from the U.S. saying Turkey had failed to duly request the extradition of Gulen.
"Turkey has duly requested the extradition of the founder and the leader of FETO and the mastermind of several crimes including the July 15, 2016 coup attempt from the U.S.," Bozdag said on Twitter.
Bozdag pointed out that Ince did not mention who had called him.
"I wish Ince had called the Justice Ministry to find out whether the person calling from the U.S. said the truth, so that he would not make himself a false witness," Bozdag added.
"Let me tell you the truth. Whoever called you from the U.S. is lying to you. You have believed in that liar calling from the U.S. and shared it publicly.
"The extradition request of the mastermind of July 15, [2016] coup attempt and the terrorist leader is in line with the bilateral agreement between Turkey and the U.S. There is no failure or mistake in the temporary arrest of the terrorist leader Gulen and his extradition requests," Bozdag said.
FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.
Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
