Turkey Gives US More Files on FETO Leader Gulen

"But we don't want the U.S. authorities to ignore the legal procedure or the law," Bozdag said, referring to a request for Gulen's provisional arrest until the extradition process starts. Gulen, who has resided in Pennsylvania since 1999, is the alleged mastermind behind the failed bloody July 15 coup attempt in Turkey. Since then, Turkey has officially requested his extradition from the U.S., based on a 1979 treaty between two countries.

Upon Washington’s request, Turkey sent another file last August along with evidence to the U.S. that summarized four previously sent files. Afterwards, a U.S. delegation visited Turkey at the end of August and monitored those documents. The U.S. then wanted an additional batch of files and evidence from Turkey, which Bozdag presented to Lynch during their meeting Wednesday. The extradition treaty includes an article that a suspect should be provisionally arrested until the extradition process starts.

Under normal circumstances, Gulen should have been arrested since Turkey made the official request Sept. 10. “In our provisional arrest request we put more than sufficient evidence and information about the fact that the coup attempt was carried out under the instructions of terrorist leader Fetullah Gulen,” Bozdag said. Bozdag added that if Gulen's activities would be traced in the U.S., the Turkish position or the truth would be very well understood.

Asked whether U.S.-Turkey relations would be badly affected if Gulen were not to be extradited, Bozdag said he did not believe Washington would “sacrifice” its friendship with Turkey to a leader of a terrorist organization.