Erdogan vows to go after businesses linked to coup bid

Turkey on Thursday issued an arrest warrant in absentia for the USA -based preacher Fetullah Gulen on charges of leading the deadly July 15 coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag sent a second document to the United States Tuesday seeking Gulen’s arrest, the state-run Anadolu news agency said.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Turkey in late August, broadcaster CNN Turk said on Thursday, more than a month after a failed military coup shook the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation member state.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he sees no difference between the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), Kurdish separatist groups and the supporters of his rival Fethullah Gulen, the Daily Sabah reported.

Turkey previously issued an arrest warrant for Gulen in December 2014 on charges of setting up and directing an “armed terrorist organization” as well as using intimidation to deprive a person of their freedom.

Although this is the first legal action against Gulen in regard to the attempted coup, it is not the only warrant he has against his name. “I am concerned about it”, Erdogan said.

The Turkish authorities had already seized a bank, taken over or closed several media companies, and detained businessmen on allegations of funding the cleric’s movement ahead of the failed coup attempt.

Greece’s migration minister has warned that a back-up strategy – a Plan B – is needed in case the EU-Turkey refugee deal collapses amid escalating tensions between the bloc and Ankara.

Turkey’s primary objective is to put an end to the fighting in Syria “without delay and on a permanent basis” because all the negative aspects of the Syrian conflict are immediately felt in the neighbouring country, Kalin said.

“Unfortunately no one from Europe, EU or the [European] Council came to Turkey”, Erdogan said as he called on Mogherini to express empathy for the Turkish state and its people in the wake of the crisis.

“Of course we see a need for cleaning up all of this”, he said Wednesday, adding there was “too little” understanding in Europe on the challenges faced by Turkey.

On Wednesday, Austria’s Chancellor Christian Kern called on the European Union to end membership talks with Turkey.

“The July 15 coup attempt received support from certain forces, anxious by Turkey’s wish to pursue a foreign policy that matches its own interests and its status of a regional power. We approached with sincerity”, he said.

He said: “We strongly supported the Turkish institutions against the coup because we believe in the free will of Turkish people, but democracy is also about the separation of powers, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression”.

The number of staff purged at Turkey’s Football Federation rose to more than 110 on Thursday, while four actors and two directors at municipal theatres in Istanbul were also suspended, according to broadcaster NTV.