Draft parliamentary report finds Gulen behind 2016 Turkey coup attempt

Fethullah Gulen and his network of followers were behind the July 15, 2016 coup attempt that left almost 250 people dead and around 2,200 injured, according to a draft report released on Friday by the Turkish parliamentary committee investigating the failed putsch.

Resat Petek, who chaired the committee, said the draft report ''clearly reveals'' that FETO was behind the coup. FETO is the acronym Ankara uses for the Gulen network, which it calls the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation.

"After evaluating all evidence and documents, the committee has come to the conclusion that FETO/PDY decided and acted in the coup bid, under the leadership of Fethullah Gulen," Petek said. PDY refers to the Parallel State Structure that FETO is accused of establishing within Turkey.

"Fethullah Gulen has committed forgery numerous times, but he never went through an investigation. He attained his green Turkish passport with fake documents he collected,'' Petek said, adding that, ''Documents and evidence collected by our commission confirm that.''

The draft report will be submitted to the parliamentary speaker in 15 days for his final approval.

Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, denies any involvement in the failed coup. Ankara is seeking Gulen's extradition.

Turkey removes thousands of judges & prosecutors in wake of attempted coup

Turkey has removed more than 4,000 judges and prosecutors on suspicion of links to last year's failed coup, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Friday.

Bozdag said the judiciary had been cleansed of personnel linked to Gulen and the cleric's network.

More than 100,000 people in the police, judiciary, civil service and private sector have been sacked or suspended from their jobs because of alleged links to the coup and its perpetrators.