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1 1 (April 10, 2017)

handle is hein.crs/govcdzu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF. ' .iE S .r . i , Updated April 10, 2017 Fethullah Gulen, Turkey, and the United States: A Reference This In Focus product provides background information on this subject. For analysis of the subject within the overall context of U.S.-Turkey relations, see CRS Report R41368, Turkey: Background and US. Relations, by Jim Zanotti and Clayton Thomas. Following the July 2016 failed coup in Turkey, the status of Muhammed Fethullah Giflen (hereinafter Fethullah Gulen), and the civil society movement that bears his name have become more significant for U.S.-Turkey relations. Gulen, born in Turkey between 1938 and 1941, is a former Turkish state-employed imam and now a permanent U.S. resident. The Turkish government has increased calls for Gulen's extradition in light of allegations that individuals with connections to him participated in the coup plot. Fethullah Gulen Source: CBS News Gulen lives in seclusion with a few of his adherents at a Poconos Mountain retreat in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. The Gulen movement or community (commonly known by supporters as Hizmet, or service in Turkish) is an array of individuals, educational institutions, and other organizations in Turkey, the United States, and countries around the world with a connection to Gulen or his teachings. These teachings come from a distinctly Turkish brand of Islam inspired by the influential Turkish-Kurdish spiritual leader Said Nursi (1877-1960) and various Sufi traditions. Gulen's interpretation of Islam condemns terrorism and promotes interfaith and cross-cultural understanding, and in the sociopolitical sphere he publicly supports values of democracy, universal human rights and freedoms. 'udlv ',1,M\,a On July 15-16, 2016, elements within the Turkish military attempted but failed to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Erdogan) and the government. Turkish officials blamed individuals with connections to the Gulen movement for the coup attempt. The post-plot environment in Turkey features competing narratives amid a major government effort to purge Gulen's influence from Turkish institutions. The effort widely affects Turkish society. Public opinion in Turkey is largely suspicious of the Gulen movement and is divided regarding the scope of the government crackdown. Although many analysts have acknowledged the possibility of some Gulen movement involvement in the coup attempt, some U.S. and European officials have stated that existing evidence does not appear to prove Gulen's direct involvement. Gulen strenuously denies any role in the plot, and insists that it went against all that he and his movement stand for, though he has acknowledged that he could not rule out involvement by some of his followers. Turkish officials-with widespread popular support-have called for the United States to extradite Gulen under the applicable U.S.-Turkey treaty (in force since 1981). Multiple arrest warrants had been issued for Gulen before the coup attempt, and Turkish media reported days before the attempt that the Turkish government was about to request extradition formally. Following the failed coup, some Turkish officials have sought to portray Gulen's extradition as critical for positive U.S.-Turkey relations, and speculation continues about the possibility of Gulen fleeing to a third country. The treaty allows for the possibility of provisional arrest. U.S. officials have stated their intention to respond, pursuant to the treaty, to documents that Turkey has submitted after the coup attempt. These documents reportedly refer to actions related to the coup attempt as well as to other matters. Deciding whether to honor an extradition request involves initial determinations by the Justice and State Departments. If a decision is made to go forward, a hearing would take place before a federal magistrate to assess whether the request is proper under the treaty and whether there is sufficient evidence to believe an extraditable offense was committed. Even if the magistrate certifies the extradition as permissible, the Secretary of State has final authority to determine whether the extradition shall occur. For more on the U.S. extradition process in general, see CRS Report RS22702, An Abridged Sketch of Extradition To and From the United States, by Charles Doyle. The Gulen movement gained influence across Turkey in the 1970s and 1980s. Initially, Gulen's ideas attracted support for various youth educational initiatives. Over time, Gulen- inspired schools, businesses, media and publishing enterprises, charitable organizations, business .O 'T p\w gnom ggmm mppm qq\ a , q 'S I 11LULANJILiN,

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