Turkey to seek extradition of 45 coup suspects

A Turkish court has sought extraditions of 45 fugitives involved in last year’s defeated coup, according to judicial officials, Anadolu agency reports.

The 4th criminal court in the capital Ankara is hearing a case involving 221 defendants including Fetullah Terrorist Organization’s (FETO) U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen, who is being tried in absentia.

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

The court on Thursday asked the Justice Ministry to file extradition requests for 45 defendants to related countries, said the officials, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The fugitives have been found living in 22 countries including the U.S., Germany, Malta, Israel, the U.K., Norway, Egypt, Mozambique, Thailand, Albania, Turkmenistan and Madagascar.