WASHINGTON — US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen urged Washington Tuesday to reject Turkey's efforts to extradite him and rejected as "ridiculous" the claim he was behind the past week's coup attempt.
"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today once again demonstrated he will go to any length necessary to solidify his power and persecute his critics," Gulen said in a statement.
"I urge the US government to reject any effort to abuse the extradition process to carry out political vendettas."
Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, denies any involvement in the putsch. "It is ridiculous, irresponsible and false to suggest I had anything to do with the horrific failed coup," he reiterated in the statement.
Gulen is the spiritual leader of the Hizmet movement, which is dubbed a terrorist group by the Turkish government.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said his government had sent four files to the United States in a bid to secure the extradition of a man Ankara brands a "traitor."
The White House said President Barack Obama discussed the extradition request during a phone call with Erdogan, during which he pledged US help in probing the coup attempt.
