US delegation's Gulen extradition talks end in Ankara

By Kemal Karadag

ANKARA (AA) - The two-day long talks between Turkish and U.S. delegations over the extradition of Fetullah Gulen came to an end Wednesday, according to a source in Turkey’s Justice Ministry.

Turkey accuses Gulen of being the mastermind of the July 15 coup bid and of being the head of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said the talks were "positive," which lasted for nine hours on the first day and eight hours on the second day.

Three officials from the U.S. Justice Department and another from the State Department had arrived in the capital Ankara late Monday night.

The delegation had begun talks with officials from Turkish Justice Ministry’s International Law and Foreign Affairs Directorate early Tuesday morning.

Turkish officials shared information about four different files dealing with the extradition of Gulen, who 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.

Turkey's government has said the defeated coup, which left 240 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured, was organized by followers of Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999 and his FETO network.