US not considering extradition of FETO leader: Trump

By Kasım Ileri

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his administration is not discussing the extradition of the Pennsylvania-based ringleader of the terrorist group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.

He told reporters that the issue of Fetullah Gulen’s extradition was “not under consideration,” speaking in front of the White House before flying to California.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup in Turkey of July 15, 2016 which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara has long sought Gulen's extradition -- since Barack Obama was president -- and has complained of the U.S. dragging its feet in handling the extradition request.

Asked about case of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump said he had not yet been briefed on CIA findings that the kingdom’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman had ordered the killing.

“We will be talking with the CIA later and lots of others. I’ll be doing that while I’m on the plane. I’ll be speaking also with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo,” he added.

Khashoggi, a frequent contributor to The Washington Post, was killed on Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

After weeks of denying any knowledge of his fate, Saudi officials blamed his killing on a rogue group tasked with returning Khashoggi to Saudi soil.