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Brother of Fethullah Gülen detained by Turkish police
The brother of Gülen movement founder Fethullah Gülen has been arrested after Turkey made several requests for the US to extradite the leader to Turkey in relation to July’s failed coup
Exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen has denied allegations of being behind the failed coup d'etat on 15 July
Turkish police detained a brother of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gülen, who is accused of masterminding July’s failed coup against the Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Kutbettin Gülen was held at the home of a relative in the western Izmir province after a tip-off, state-run Anadolu news agency said.
He was reportedly accused of “membership of an armed terror group”. According to Anadolu, he was being questioned by anti-terrorist police and books were confiscated in the raid.
Fethullah Gülen, a former Erdoğan ally who has lived in self-imposed exile in the US since 1999, is accused by Turkey of orchestrating the 15 July coup attempt. He has denied these allegations.
The Turkish authorities call his group the Fethullah Terror Organisation, but supporters say he merely runs a peaceful organisation called Hizmet (Service).
Gülen is reported to have three living brothers and two sisters. Their whereabouts are not known, according to the Guardian.
Two of his nephews were arrested in July and August, but this is believed to be the first time one of his brothers has been detained since the attempted coup.
