Turkey denies offering money for US extradition of Erdogan rival
12 Nov 2017 4:35 PM GMT
Ankara: Turkey has rejected as "ludicrous" allegations that it offered several million dollars to the United States to extradite a political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
US media reported that investigators in Washington are probing whether former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn discussed expelling Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen in exchange for a secret payout.
Ankara blames Gulen's movement for the July 15, 2016 failed coup against Erdogan, and has pressed for his extradition from the United States, where he has lived since 1999.
Gulen, who has a large Turkish following, strongly denies the charges.
"All allegations that Turkey would resort to means external to the rule of law for his extradition are utterly false, ludicrous and groundless", Turkey's embassy in Washington said on Twitter yesterday.
NBC News and the Wall Street Journal said Friday that US special prosecutor Robert Mueller is examining a meeting Flynn had with senior Turkish officials weeks after Donald Trump won the presidential race last year.
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