(Reuters) The U.S. Justice Department on Friday denied that it was planning an extradition deal designed to persuade the Turkish president to ease off on a probe over the killing of a journalist in an Istanbul embassy.
NBC News reported on Thursday that the Trump administration had been seeking ways to extradite U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is wanted in Turkey over accusations that he was involved in a failed 2016 coup, in order to appease Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
It said the move was designed to persuade Erdogan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month. Trump has sought closer ties with Saudi Arabia, citing Riyadh’s role in countering Iranian influence in the region, and billions of dollars in potential arms deals.
