Close Fethullah Gulen institutions in Mumbai: Turkey envoy

Turkey had claimed that Gulen was behind last month's attempted coup

Turkey on Monday sought shutting down of institutions in Mumbai linked to the Fethullah "terror" network, which it had claimed was behind last month's attempted coup in that country.

"We have requested Indian and Maharashtra government that all institutions in Mumbai and elsewhere, connected with this network be closed," Turkey Consul General Erdal Sabri Ergen told reporters here.

"Everything connected with this network should be closed. They should be put under microscope. This is an illegal netwrok with a sinister design in mind," he said.

"The institutions connected with the network are (there) in Mumbai. Our Ambassador has informed Indian authorities. We believe the Indian authorities already had that information," he said, when asked if Indian authorities were informed of Fethullah's Mumbai connection with last month's coup bid in Turkey.

"Our communication with Maharashtra government is in parallel to what our Ambassador is doing in Delhi," he said.

"We have given a lot of documents and provided evidence. There are several such institutions in Mumbai and elsewhere in India, he said.

"What clerics (in these institutions) provided was not positive message but a sinister message. The organisation network is damaging to Turkey," he said.

This isn't a terror organisation in classical sense, he said.

"The coup attempt was foiled by people of Turkey, who stood before tanks, which is a victory for democracy and media," he said.

"There will be consequences for Fethullah terror organisation which has network in many countries including India. This organisation's leader is sitting in Pennsylvania.

"For legal reasons, I can specify only general information and can't take names. I cannot name individuals or institutions for legal reasons," he added.