Turkey: CIA Obviously Knows Gulen Was Behind Coup

Justice Ministry: CIA Has Far More Evidence Than Turkey Does

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag today insisted US claims of not having sufficient evidence of Fethullah Gulen’s complicity in last month’s failed coup amounted to “ridiculing” Turkey and the rest of the world about the matter.

Bozdag insisted that not only did the CIA obviously know about Gulen’s involvement, but that they would have far more evidence of it than Turkey itself does, adding that “CIA knows Gulen’s heartbeat, how often he breathes, who enter and leaves” his home.

Turkey has been demanding the US immediately extradite Gulen over the coup, though the Obama Administration has insisted they would need solid evidence of his involvement before considering that. Turkish officials have been less than forthcoming with such evidence.

And while Turkish officials keep suggesting the US should trust them unconditionally about the matter, Bozdag’s comments may well suggest that Turkey simply doesn’t have such evidence at all, and is simply crossing their fingers that the US will buy their bluff.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.