(VOVworld) – US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen has called for an international inquiry into last month’s failed coup in Turkey, vowing his “full cooperation” with any such probe Ankara has accused him of being behind the coup attempt.

US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen (Photo: Selahattin Sevi/AP)

Appearing on the French newspaper, Le Monde, Gulen rejected accusations by Turkey that he ordered the July 15 attempt to remove Tayyip Erdogan from the presidency. He asked that an independent international commission investigate this attempted coup and that if the accusations at him are proven, he will return to Turkey to face the stiffest punishment.

The administration of President Erdogan is carrying out campaigns to suppress supporters of the coup. Turkey asked the US to extradite Gulen to Turkey for an inquiry. But so far Turkey has only raised accusations without specific evidence over the role of preacher Gulen in the recent coup.