US declines to comment on death of FETO leader

By Servet Gunerigok and Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US State Department declined to comment Monday on the death of Fetullah Gulen, the ringleader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

"I wouldn't comment on matters involving private individuals living in the United States. So I've seen those reports but don't have anything to offer," said deputy spokesman Vedant Patel in response to a question from an Anadolu reporter.

Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded "nothing at this time" when asked about Gulen's death.

Gulen, who was 83, died at St. Luke's Hospital in the US state of Pennsylvania.

Anadolu captured images of room 251 where Gulen stayed shortly before his death.

The room was recently vacated and cleaned, the footage showed. Hospital staff said that until recently, visitors had come to check on his treatment.

His body was reportedly taken to the hospital morgue, which is off limits to the public.

Turkish intelligence confirmed the death of Gulen, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday.

Gulen had been living in Pennsylvania. Turkish leaders had long sought his extradition, but US judicial officials had turned down this request.

He orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Türkiye in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.