Turkey to seek extradition of 54 defeated coup suspects

A Turkish court has sought extraditions of 54 fugitives involved in the July 2016 defeated coup, according to judicial officials.

The 4th criminal court in the capital Ankara is hearing a case involving 74 defendants, including Fetullah Terrorist Organization’s (FETÖ) U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gülen. 54 out of the total are being tried in absentia.

FETÖ and its leader Gülen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 250 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

According to the latest data compiled by Anadolu Agency, the court has asked the Ministry of Justice to file extradition requests for 54 defendants, including senior FETÖ members, to the related countries.

The fugitives have been found living in 24 countries including the U.S., Germany, Israel, the U.K., Egypt, United Arab Emirates, South Arica, Malta and Albania, said the judicial officials, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The fugitives for whom extradition requests would be sent to the U.S. include Fetullah Gülen; former editor-in-chief of FETÖ-linked Zaman newspaper Ekrem Dumanli; FETÖ’s imams in judiciary Ahmet Can and Ahmet Kara; provincial FETÖ imam in Istanbul Ahmet Kirmic; former imam in Aegean region Bekir Baz; Cevdet Turkyolu, Mehmet Ali Buyukcelebi, Ismail Buyukcelebi and Ahmet Kurucan from advisory commission; Sait Aksoy, who is in charge of the group’s network in police and military schools; Ali Ursavas, who is in charge of overseas network; imam of colonels and lieutenant colonels Suat Yigit; Hamdullah Bayram Ozturk, the group’s in-charge in South America; former deputy chairman of FETÖ-linked Bank Asya Mustafa Talat Katircioglu, the officials said.

Turkey will also seek extradition from the U.S. of Tuncay Delibasi and Kudret Unal, doctors of Gülen; Ismet Aksoy, financial representative of FETÖ for Turkish Board of Trustees; Mustafa Muhammed Gunay, Secretary General of FETÖ-linked TUSKON business association; former Director-General of Zaman newspaper Recep Uzunalli; and Seref Ali Tekalan, the president of North American University in Texas.

Also, extradition requests will be submitted to the U.K. government for the former head of Koza Ipek Holding Hamdi Akin Ipek, the former head of closed FETÖ-linked Journalists and Writers Foundation Mustafa Yesil and FETÖ’s in-charge in Iraq Talip Buyuk.

The court also asked the Ministry of Justice to file an extradition request to Albania for FETÖ’s credentials committee member Nevzat Ayvacı.

Germany would be requested to extradite Abdullah Aymaz, one of top figures after Gülen; Faruk Ilk, in-charge of the terror group’s network in media; and FETÖ’s country imam for Turkey Mehmet Ali Sengul.

Bahattin Karatas, another member of FETÖ’s credential committee, will be sought to be extradited from Malta.

Defendants, who were accused of attempting to overthrow the government and violate the constitution, are facing up to two times aggravated life sentences.

They are also facing 132 years in prison each for setting up an armed terror group, military and political espionage, forging documents and laundering money.