THE Turkish President has warned the United States would be making a “big mistake” if it did not hand over the suspected mastermind of the country’s failed coup.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed his arch-enemy, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, of being behind the coup that left more than 300 dead and caused scenes of devastation, especially in the capital Ankara where fighter jets and attack helicopters turned parts of parliament and the police headquarters to rubble.

On Wednesday, Mr Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey, saying the measure was needed to counter threats to democracy.

The president has also demanded the US extradite Mr Gulen so he can face justice in Turkey.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mr Erdogan said it would be a “big mistake if the US decides not to extradite Gulen”.

However, he also emphasised that he did not want to strain Turkey’s relationship with the US.

“We need to be more sensitive,” he said, “Relations between our countries are based on interests, not feelings. We are strategic partners.”

The United States has so far shown little interest in Turkey’s repeated demands for Mr Gulen’s extradition dating back to 2013 when a corruption scandal shook Mr Erdogan’s government. This was also blamed on Mr Gulen and his loyalists in the police and judiciary.

In their first telephone conversation since the attempted overthrow, President Barack Obama pledged US assistance to Mr Erdogan for the investigation into the coup. But Washington has asked to see clear evidence of Mr Gulen’s involvement before it will extradite him.

Mr Gulen, a reclusive 75-year-old Islamic preacher, has been in exile in the US since 1999, but wields enormous influence in Turkish society, with supporters in the media, police and judiciary.

Mr Gulen issued a statement on Tuesday urging Washington to reject the extradition call and dismissed as “ridiculous” the claim he was behind the botched coup.

Turkey has stepped up pressure on Washington to extradite him, sending several “dossiers” it says are packed with evidence about his alleged involvement in the coup.

Asked if other countries could have been involved in the coup, Mr Erdogan told Al-Jazeera: “There could be.”

media_camera A Turkish special forces officer stands guard in front of a damaged building inside the police base which was attacked by the Turkish warplanes during the failed military coup. Picture: AP/Hussein Malla

SCHOOLS SHUT DOWN, 50,000 ARRESTED

Following the failed coup there has been a widespread crackdown on suspected sympathisers.

Turkey announced on Wednesday it would close more than 600 private schools and dormitories, and its targeting of education is believed to be aimed at curbing Mr Gulen’s influence.

Mr Gulen’s followers run a worldwide network of schools and Mr Erdogan believes the cleric is seeking to infiltrate the Turkish education system and other institutions.

Mr Erdogan’s government said it had fired nearly 22,000 education ministry workers, mostly teachers, taken steps to revoke the licences of 21,000 other teachers at private schools and sacked or detained half a dozen university presidents.

media_camera Turkish cleric and opponent to the Erdogan regime Fethullah Gulen. Picture: Thomas Urbain

In total some 50,000 people have been arrested following the failed coup.

The government says 312 people were killed in the coup, including 145 civilians, 60 police, three soldiers and 104 plotters.

The president, who has said he narrowly escaped being killed or captured by renegade military units during the coup, suggested that purges would continue within military ranks.

“As the commander in chief, I will also attend to it so that all the viruses within the armed forces will be cleansed,” Mr Erdogan said.

Mr Erdogan has also declared a three-month state of emergency.

“The aim is to rapidly and effectively take all steps needed to eliminate the threat against democracy, the rule of law and the people’s rights and freedoms,” Mr Erdogan said after a meeting with cabinet ministers and top security advisers.

“This measure is in no way against democracy, the law and freedoms,” he added. “On the contrary it aims to protect and strengthen them.”

Turkey last imposed martial law-like emergency rule in the southeast of Turkey in 1987, allowing officials to set curfews, issue search and arrest warrants and restrict gatherings as the security forces fought Kurdish rebels in the region. The emergency rule was gradually lifted by 2002.

Mr Erdogan also confirmed Turkey would consider reinstating the death penalty.

“I will approve capital punishment if it’s passed by parliament,” he said.

Turkey abolished the death penalty in 2004 as part of reforms to help it become a member of the European Union.

media_camera A car burns during a fight between army and police, in Istanbul's Taksim square. Picture: AP Photo/Cavit Ozgul

GLOBAL CONCERNS OVER CRACKDOWN

Global concern has grown as Turkish authorities have arrested or fired troops, police, judges, teachers and other civil servants in the aftermath of Friday’s failed bid to seize power by rebel troops.

Earlier Mr Erdogan lashed out at critics of his sweeping purges, telling France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault — who had warned the Turkish leader not to use the failed coup as a “blank cheque” to silence his opponents — to “mind his own business”.

“Does he have the authority to make these declarations about my person? No, he does not. If he wants a lesson in democracy, he can very easily get a lesson in democracy from us.”

Earlier on Wednesday US Secretary of State John Kerry, flanked by allied foreign ministers, said that while “we condemn this coup”, it was important that the response to it “fully respects that democracy that we are supporting”.

And German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, in more direct comments, said that in Turkey “nearly every day we are seeing new measures that flout the rule of law and that disregard the principle of proportionality”.

Mr Erdogan in his Al-Jazeera interview insisted that the arrests and suspensions had been carried out “within the law”.

Originally published as US warned against ‘big mistake’