Turkey urges Greece to extradite FETO members

By Ilkay Guder

ANKARA

Turkey wants the extradition of terrorists from the group behind a deadly coup attempt, the country’s justice minister said Friday.

“We want the extradition of these terrorists demanded by the judicial mechanism of law in Turkey,” Abdulhamit Gul told reporters, referring to claims Greece was secretly trying to send Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) members to third countries.

“We will pursue this matter until the end as the Republic of Turkey,” he said.

“These subjects that are carried out secretly can’t be a subject of law,” Gul said, adding that Turkey would only deal with explicit issues.

In 2018, Greece, along with Germany, were among the top EU countries where suspected FETO members sought asylum after the defeated coup attempt, according to Turkish officials.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader, Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara 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.