Islam Times - Turkish Opposition Leader Not to Flee US over Extradition Fears

Islam Times - The US-based Turkish opposition leader accused by Ankara of masterminding last year's military coup, announced he will not flee the US and would accept extradition if Washington bows to Turkey's pressures to hand him over.

In an interview in with Reuters in Pennsylvania the 79-year old Fethullah GulenFethullah Gulen denied a Turkish government allegation that he was preparing to leave for Canada to avoid extradition.

"The rumors aren't true at all," the Muslim cleric said.

"If the United States sees it appropriate to extradite me, I would leave (for Turkey)," he said.

President Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government accuse Gulen of orchestrating last July's attempted coup, in which rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and fighter jets, bombing parliament and trying to abduct or kill Erdogan. More than 240 people were killed in the violence.

Erdogan said in May he would pursue "to the end" Turkey's demand for the extradition of Gulen, who denies any involvement in the coup attempt. But there has been little or no concrete progress on the Turkish request.

U.S. officials have said privately that even though Erdogan has appealed directly to US President Donald Trump on the matter, Turkey has yet to provide enough evidence for the Justice Department to act.

The issue has been a major sticking point in the relationship between the two NATO allies.