Lawyers for U.S.-based Turkish cleric fear attacks on his life

[WorldNews]

By Julia Harte WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawyers for U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen said on Friday they feared attacks on his life following Turkey's demands that he be extradited to face allegations that he ordered a failed coup against the government last month. The lawyers said they expected Gulen, who has denied any involvement in the July 15 coup attempt, will remain in his remote mountain compound in Pennsylvania. "We have read concerns from Turkey that Mr. Gulen, this elderly, frail religious leader, is going to flee to another country," said Steptoe & Johnson LLP attorney Reid Weingarten on Friday, calling such allegations "absurd." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames Gulen for the violence, in which Erdogan said 237 people were killed excluding the plotters and more than 2,100 wounded, and said the United States should extradite him to Turkey.

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