Turkish Prosecutors Request Arrest Warrant for Erdogan Foe Gulen

Turkish prosecutors on Friday requested an Istanbul court to issue an arrest warrant for the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who has emerged as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's number one foe.

The request by prosecutors said Gulen, who has lived in exile since 1999, led a "criminal" group acting against the "rules and laws in media, economy and bureaucracy," the state Anatolia news agency reported.

State television TRT reported earlier that the court had already delivered an arrest warrant for Gulen but later withdrew its report.

According to a copy of the request published in Turkish media, Gulen is charged with setting up and directing an "armed terrorist organization" as well as using intimidation to deprive a person of their freedom.

The court will now have to give its approval for the arrest warrant to be issued.

Erdogan accuses Gulen of running a "parallel state" and being behind sensational corruption allegations against his inner circle that broke on December 17 last year.

But the United States has so far paid little attention to repeated requests from Turkey for Gulen's extradition from his secluded compound in the state of Pennsylvania.