Turkey issues arrest warrant for ex-CIA officer over coup attempt

Turkey's chief prosecutor issued an arrest warrant on Friday for former CIA officer Graham Fuller over allegations that he was involved in the coup attempt on 15 July last year. 

The warrant said Fuller was accused of "attempting to overthrow" Turkey's government and of ”obtaining secret state information", reported Hurriyet newspaper.

The prosecutor also accused Fuller, former vice-chair of the US National Intelligence Council, of having links to Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for the events last year.

Gulen, who lives in the US, denies these claims.

The prosecutor also said Fuller had been in contact with American academic Henri Barkey, who was also previously subject to an arrest warrant in Turkey over allegations that he played a role.

More than 50,000 people have been arrested in Turkey pending trial over links to Gulen.

Another 150,000 people have been sacked or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors.

Turkish-US relations have been strained in recent months.

On Thursday, Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab told a US federal court that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally authorised a transaction on behalf of Iran.

Zarrab is a key witness in the criminal trial of a Turkish banker whom he allegedly worked with to help Iran launder money.