Gulen, the powerful cleric accused of orchestrating a Turkish coup, dies 

ISTANBUL — 

The U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who built a almighty Islamic question successful Turkey and beyond but spent his aboriginal years mired successful accusations of orchestrating an attempted coup against Turkish person Tayyip Erdogan, has died. He was 83.

Herkul, a website which publishes Gulen's sermons, said connected its X relationship that Gulen had died connected Sunday evening successful the U.S. infirmary wherever helium was being treated.

Gulen was a one-time state of Erdogan but they fell retired spectacularly, and Erdogan held him liable for the 2016 attempted coup successful which rogue soldiers commandeered warplanes, tanks and helicopters. Some 250 radical were killed successful the bid to prehend power.

Gulen, who had lived successful self-imposed exile successful the United States since 1999, denied engagement successful the putsch but his question was designated arsenic a violent radical by Turkey.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed his death, describing him arsenic the person of a "dark organization" and saying that Turkey's combat against the radical would continue.

"Our nation's determination successful the combat against coercion volition continue, and this quality of his decease volition ne'er pb america to complacency," Fidan told a property conference.

According to its followers, Gulen's question - known arsenic "Hizmet" which means "service" successful Turkish - seeks to dispersed a mean marque of Islam that promotes Western-style education, escaped markets and interfaith communication.

Since the failed coup, his question has been systematically dismantled successful Turkey and its planetary power has declined.

Known to his supporters arsenic Hodjaefendi, oregon respected teacher, Gulen was calved successful a colony successful the eastbound Turkish state of Erzurum successful 1941. The lad of an imam, oregon Islamic preacher, helium studied the Koran from infancy.

In 1959, Gulen was appointed arsenic a mosque imam successful the northwestern metropolis of Edirne and came to prominence arsenic a preacher successful the 1960s successful the occidental state of Izmir, wherever helium acceptable up pupil dormitories and would spell to beverage houses to preach.

These pupil houses marked the commencement of an informal web which would dispersed successful coming decades done education, business, media and authorities institutions.

His power besides dispersed beyond Turkey's borders to the Turkic republics of Central Asia, the Balkans, Africa and the West done a web of schools.

Fidan said helium hoped Gulen's decease would assistance a "spell" implicit Turkish younker who had taken a way of "betrayal" against their state nether the pretense of spiritual values. "This is not a bully road," helium added.

Former Erdogan state

Gulen had been a adjacent state of Erdogan and his AK Party, but increasing tensions successful their narration exploded successful December 2013 erstwhile corruption investigations targeting ministers and officials adjacent to Erdogan came to light.

Prosecutors and constabulary from Gulen's Hizmet question were wide believed to beryllium down the investigations and an apprehension warrant was issued for Gulen successful 2014. His question was designated arsenic a violent radical 2 years later.

Soon aft the 2016 coup, Erdogan described Gulen's web arsenic traitors and "like a cancer," vowing to basal them retired wherever they are. Hundreds of schools, companies, media outlets and associations linked to him were unopen down and assets seized.

Gulen condemned the coup effort "in the strongest terms."

"As idiosyncratic who suffered nether aggregate subject coups during the past 5 decades, it is particularly insulting to beryllium accused of having immoderate nexus to specified an attempt," helium said.

In a post-coup crackdown, which the authorities said targeted Gulen's followers, astatine slightest 77,000 radical were arrested and 150,000 authorities workers including teachers, judges and soldiers suspended nether exigency rule.

Companies and media outlets regarded arsenic linked to Gulen were seized by the authorities oregon closed down. The authorities said its actions were justified by the gravity of the menace posed to the authorities by the coup.

Gulen was besides reviled by Turkey's opposition, which saw his web arsenic having conspired implicit decades to undermine the secular foundations of the republic.

Ankara agelong sought to person him extradited from the United States.

Speaking successful his gated compound successful Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, Gulen said successful a 2017 Reuters interrogation helium had nary plans to fly the United States to debar extradition. Even then, helium appeared frail, keeping his longtime doc adjacent astatine hand.