Turkish justice minister to visit US for Gulen's arrest

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag will meet US Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Oct. 26 and 27 to discuss Turkey's official request for the provisional arrest of terrorist leader Fetullah Gulen.

"I am heading to the U.S. on Oct. 25. We have a meeting with the Attorney General on Oct. 26 and 27," Bozdag told reporters Tuesday at the parliament.

"The main agenda of the visit is the legal documents submitted to the U.S. regarding the founder and leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and our request for his provisional arrest over July 15 coup bid," Bozdag said.

Ankara maintains that the overthrow attempt was organized by followers of Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the state of Pennsylvania since 1999, and his FETO terror group.

Gulen is also accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.

Turkey's first official request for Gulen's provisional arrest was issued to the U.S. on Sep. 13.