Vice Chair of US-Based Center Where Gulen Lives Says Reports of Cleric's Death 'Fake News'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Vice Chairman of the US-based Golden Generation Worship Sezai Sablak told Sputnik on Thursday that recent reports of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen's death are fake news.

"That's a kind of fake news," Sablak said.

Sablak said he saw Gulen as recently as five days ago and would see him again tonight for a Thanksgiving gathering at the center, where Gulen has lived in exile since 1999.

Police in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania told Sputnik they had no information or reports about the Turkish cleric's alleged death.

Pennsylvania's State Police, when contacted by Sputnik, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Turkish media reported that Gulen had allegedly been poisoned on his estate in Pennsylvania. Gulen's fellowship denied this information and published a video of the preacher praying. However, Turkish journalists alleged it was a montage of previously released videos.

"We are closely following what is happening. Sources in the US police and local media are not giving information on this matter. This does not mean that nothing happened on the estate. Probably, something happened, and it was not reported to the police. However, the organization (of Gulen) will not be able to keep it hidden for long," Washington Bureau Chief for Anadolu Agency Hakan Сopur wrote on Twitter.

The Turkish government defines the transnational Islamic movement of Fethullah Gulen as FETO, which is an acronym for Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization, and has accused the cleric and his movement of being the main instigator of the failed coup attempt of 2016.

Gulen and members of his movement reject the allegations. They define themselves as the Hizmet (service) movement and oppose being defined as a terrorist organization.

The US government refuses to extradite the activist to Turkey.