US officials don’t expect to extradite Fethullah Gulen, an imam Turkey blames for masterminding a failed coup, because they aren’t convinced by the evidence Ankara has presented and are troubled by threatening public statements from Turkish officials.
US and Turkish officials have privately discussed scenarios under which Fethullah Gulen might be extradited, but American authorities have yet to be persuaded there is a valid case for extradition.
The more Turkish officials, including the president and prime minister, talk publicly about Gulen’s alleged role in the coup and demand his immediate transfer, the less likely such a transfer becomes. Such comments raise questions about the potential fairness of Gulen’s treatment in Turkey, the Wall Street Journal writes.
No final decision has been made, and the extradition discussions are expected to go on for months. Still, among people familiar with the discussions, several said they couldn't now envision a scenario in which Gulen is ultimately turned over to Turkish authorities.
Turkish officials said they have yet to present their full case for extradition to the US and that the discussions are ongoing. They said they expect to present new evidence to their American counterparts in coming weeks that they believe will highlight the links between Gulen and the coup plotters.
