Jessica Durando

USA TODAY

Turkey sent a second document to the United States to request the arrest of Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Turkish cleric Ankara says was the mastermind of last month's coup attempt.

"We wrote and sent it," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said Tuesday, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. "There are serious claims and expressions that Gulen has a hand in the coup attempt. ... We have intelligence that he could flee to a third country."

Turkish president tightens grip on military

Bozdağ said that if Gulen leaves the United States, it would be with the full knowledge of American authorities. “If he escapes then the U.S. would either have turned a blind eye or approved of it,” he said.

Turkey sent its first extradition request July 19, days after the failed coup that left hundreds of people dead.

Secretary of State John Kerry has said Turkey must provide evidence of Gulen’s involvement for a judge to consider any extradition request. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said extradition is “a very legal, technical process.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday accused the West of backing terrorism and coups.

“The West is supporting terrorism and taking side with coups (since) they are not hurt as badly as we are,” he said at a meeting of international investors in Ankara, Anadolu reported.

Erdogan said that the coup attempt was orchestrated abroad and not within the country.

Erdogan had slammed the U.S. on Friday for its reaction to the failed military coup, accusing the country of harboring Gulen.

Turkey president slams U.S. on coup reaction

“Instead of thanking this government for thwarting this coup attempt, and for (maintaining) democracy, you are standing by the (plotters),” Erdogan said, Anadolu reported.

The White House has repeatedly denied Erdogan’s claim. Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz said Friday that the U.S. was one of the first countries to condemn the failed coup. He also noted that a successful coup would put American troops in Turkey at risk.

“It is entirely false. There is no evidence of that at all,” Schultz said about Erdogan's comments. “We feel that talk and speculation along those lines is not particularly constructive.”

Interview: Reclusive Turkish cleric condemns coup attempt, denies involvement

Since the July 15 coup, Turkey has cracked down on the military, educators and judiciary. Nearly 70,000 people have been suspended from their jobs on suspicion of being involved in Gulen's movement in Turkey.

The government has also shut scores of media outlets, including three news agencies, 16 television channels and 45 newspapers, Andalou reported.