US delays submitting FETÖ files to court

According to information obtained from Turkish Ministry of Justice officials, despite the initiatives of Turkey, the U.S. did not take any steps regarding the return and temporary arrest of Fetullah Gülen.

U.S.-based Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup plot, is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary. Gülen is the leader of the Fetullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Four separate extradition files and a temporary arrest request following the July 15 coup attempt have not yet been taken to the relevant courts in the U.S. Department of Justice, according to Turkish officials.

The extradition files were sent to the U.S. on July 19 of last year, just four days after the failed July 15 coup attempt.

On September 10, 2016, a temporary arrest request was sent to the U.S. Department of Justice as a result of the coup attempt and its aftermanth.

The U.S. Department of Justice sent a delegation to Ankara on 22-23 August of last year to discuss the extradition files and temporary arrest request.

A delegation headed by the Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ travelled to the U.S. on October 27 of last year. Bozdağ met with his U.S. counterpart Loretta Lynch in Washington, and expressed that Gülen gave the orders for the coup attempt.