Gulen's nephew remanded over Turkey coup bid

By Aylin Sirikli, Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA

A Turkish court Thursday remanded in custody the nephew of U.S.-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, leader of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and mastermind of the failed coup attempt last month.

Muhammet Sait Gulen was detained July 23 in eastern Erzurum province as part of an investigation into the putsch.

Sait Gulen also faces interrogation over fraud during the 2010 civil service recruitment exam, known by the initials KPSS.

Turkey's government has repeatedly said the deadly coup attempt, which martyred at least 239 people and injured nearly 2,200 others, was organized by Fetullah Gulen's followers.

Fetullah Gulen is also accused of implementing a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through infiltrating Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. since 1999 and Turkey has so far sent the U.S. two official requests for his extradition to face trial.