Turkey seeks extradition of key coup suspect Adil Öksüz from Germany

ANKARA

An Ankara court on Nov. 21 completed a written extradition demand for key coup suspect Adil Öksüz, believed to currently be in Germany, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The Ankara Fourth High Criminal Court sent an extradition demand for Öksüz, dubbed as “the air force imam” of the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ), to the justice ministry to be conveyed to Germany, the agency reported.

“Imam” is a term used by Gülenists to mark local leadership.

In addition, the Ankara court also prepared a separate extradition demand for Fatih Arık, another defendant who had been tried over the coup attempt case and had escaped to Greece by a military helicopter following the attempted takeover.

Öksüz was detained on the morning of July 16, 2016 near Akıncı Air Base, used as a headquarters by coup-plotters during the attempt, only to be released by Judge Çetin Sönmez on July 18, 2016, after which he went on the run.

Earlier media reports had suggested he had been spotted in Frankfurt and Ulm and was given a temporary residence permit by Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg state.

Ankara had previously sent a diplomatic note to Berlin in August requesting Öksüz’s extradition.