Man accused of orchestrating the Turkey coup says the president STAGED the whole thing

THE man accused of orchestrating Turkey's attempted military coup has hit back against calls for his extradition saying the country's President staged the whole thing.

Fethullah Gulen, who is based in the US, has been blamed for organising the attempted military coup.

But the former key ally of the Turkish president and cleric spoke out, saying: "There is a slight chance, there is a possibility that it could be a staged coup. It could be meant for court accusations and associations."

He told reporters in the US that he did not believe democracy could be maintained through military action or violence.

Speaking from his home in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, Gulen said: "It appears that they have no tolerance for any movement, any group, any organisation that is not under their total control."

He denied any involvement in the coup and said anyone could have masterminded the action,

The founder of the Gulen movement, the Turkish preacher and writer currently lives in self-imposed exile in the US and has not been to Turkey for 16 years.

His comments come after the Turkish President appealed to the US President Barack Obama to extradite the 75-year-old.

President Recep Erdogan said: "I call on the United States and President Barack Obama. Dear Mr. President, I told you this before. Either arrest Fethullah Gulen or return him to Turkey. You didn't listen. I call on you again, after there was a coup attempt.

"Extradite this man in Pennsylvania to Turkey. If we are strategic partners or model partners, do what is necessary."

The President was on holidays when the military declared it had seized power, with Erdogan rushing back to Istanbul on Friday night.

The President has come out strongly against those involved in the coup, ordering the arrest of almost 3000 prosecutors and judges believed to have played a part in the overnight action.

He has also praised the Turkish people who took to the streets against the military.