Local Palm Springs man says Turkey coup was no surprise

“Nobody’s surprised what happened in Turkey.”

Moussa Raei has lived in Palm Springs for 40 years, but much of his family neighbors Turkey in Syria.

Raei says Turkey’s President Erdogan may have been elected democratically but is running an authoritarian dictatorship.

“It seems like he’s unstoppable,” says Raei, “He’s getting more and more and more fanatical.”

But many international leaders have expressed support for the democratic government.

In a dramatic statement President Erdogan vowed to crush any opposition to the government. Now he says that opposition is located in Pennsylvania.

Fethullah Gulen, a former political ally of Erdogan, is in his mid-70’s and has lived in the United States for over 15 years. He says he knew nothing of the coup.

Secretary of State John Kerry says the US has yet to receive an official request for extradition.