Erdogan vows to purge cleric Gulen ‘virus’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is vowing to purge all state institutions of supporters of an Islamist cleric his government blames for Friday’s failed coup attempt.

Speaking at a funeral in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan vows to “clean all state institutions of the virus” of Fethullah Gulen supporters.

He says Turkey, through the justice ministry and foreign ministry, would request the extradition of the cleric, who is based in the United States, and his backers.

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Crowds chant “Fethullah will come and pay,” ”Allah is Great” and “We want the death penalty.”

Erdogan says that in democracies, “you cannot push the wish of the people to one side” but also said “we are not after revenge.”

The cleric, whose movement is labeled a terrorist group by Turkey, has denied any involvement in the coup effort.

— AP