Council of Europe head visits Turkey in wake of failed coup

Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested Turkey would be unable to continue its strategic allegiance to the USA if it continues to “harbour” the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by the Turkish government of instigating the coup attempt.

Ankara, which claimed that USA-based Fethullah Gulen was the mastermind of the coup, has been urging the US, Turkey’s strategic partner, to extradite him from his home in Pennsylvania.

“Bravo! The courts in Germany work very fast!” Erdogan said with heavy irony.

He accused Germany in the past of allowing leaders from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) of addressing events in Germany via video conference. He had previously said that the foreign states could have been involved, while not giving clues as to which countries might be responsible.

Erdogan also said Turkey’s presidency of telecommunication and communication would be shut down as part of a nation-wide probe against the coup plotters linked to the FETO terror organization.

Secretary of State John Kerry has said Turkey must provide evidence of Gülen’s involvement for a US judge to consider any extradition request.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told a top-ranking US general that his government remained committed to principles of law in its fight against coup plotters and called for Washington to extradite USA -based preacher Fethullah Gulen “as soon as possible”.

Tensions flared further as Turkish officials threatened to back out of its migrant deal with the European Union.

Separately, authorities issued 98 new detention warrants, including for military doctors, a senior government official said, on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Turkey had also canceled this year’s August 30 Victory Day military parades because of the “extraordinary situation”, the minister said.

Turkey has said the coup could cost its economy up to $100 billion ($89 billion euros) overall.

The Turkish president brought up the story of his son while responding to a question about the country’s recent crackdown on journalists and school teachers, following an attempted coup two weeks ago.

Erdogan also took a swipe at human rights group Amnesty International, which alleged that some people detained in the government-led purge had been tortured.

Fetullah Gulen, a 75-year-old Erdogan rival who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for almost two decades, has denied any connection to the uprising. “We have intelligence that he could flee to a third country”, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

That stance has angered Erdogan and has led to strains in the two countries’ relations.

Isik said 311 military personnel believed to have participated in the coup were still on the run including nine generals.

‘Because of a ban on annual leave, one million (tourism) reservations had been cancelled, ‘ the minister said.