MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Wednesday statement followed the release of an indictment by a Turkish prosecutor claiming that a phone call was made to Adil Oksuz from a telephone number registered under US Consulate General in Istanbul a few days after the coup attempt, according to media reports.
"A call from the U.S. Consulate General Istanbul to a phone belonging to Adil Oksuz on July 21, 2016 did occur. On that day, the Turkish National Police called the U.S. Mission Turkey to request our assistance in preventing Adil Oksuz from fleeing Turkey. We then revoked his U.S. visa and, as required by U.S. law, tried to call him to inform him of the cancellation," the Wednesday statement says.
On July 15, 2016, a military coup attempt took place in Turkey. It was suppressed the following day. Over 240 people were killed during the coup attempt and an estimated 2,000 were wounded. Thousands of people, including military officers, high-ranking civil servants and teachers have been detained or sacked in the country since the attempted overthrow of the Turkish government.
Ankara accused dissident Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who has been living in the United States since 1999, and his followers of orchestrating the coup attempt. He has denied the allegations of involvement and condemned the attempted coup.
Adil Oksuz, remaining on the run, is one of the main suspects in the coup plot. He reportedly visited the United States shortly before the thwarted coup attempt to meet with Gulen.
