US mulls removing Gulen to ease Turkey pressure on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi murder: report

The Trump administration is exploring ways to remove US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen in a bid to convince Turkey to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, NBC News reported on Thursday.

Trump officials have asked federal law enforcement agencies to investigate whether Gulen, who Ankara accused of instigating a 2016 coup, could be legally forced out of the United States, NBC News reported, citing four sources.

The Trump administration directed the FBI and the Justice Department to reopen Turkey's case for Gulen's extradition, while the Department of Homeland Security was asked for information about the cleric's legal status, NBC News cited sources as saying.

One option under consideration was trying to force Gulen to relocate to South Africa, NBC News reported.

"The White House has not been involved in any discussions relating the extradition of Fethullah Gulen to the death of Jamal Khashoggi," a White House official told Reuters.

A media advisor for Gulen said he had not been informed of any US inquiry.

A senior Turkish official told Reuters that Turkey's extradition request and its investigation of Khashoggi's murder were "not connected in any way, shape or form."

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the White House has not been involved in any extradition discussions, but authorities continue to evaluate information provided on Gulen by Turkey.

Erdogan has ramped up pressure on Saudi Arabia after Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

The Turkish President has said the order to kill the journalist came from "the highest levels" of the Riyadh government, but stopped short of pointing the finger of blame at the Saudi crown prince.

On Wednesday, Turkey called for an international probe into the murder Khashoggi.

Trump quickly forged a close relationship with Saudi Arabia upon taking office, with Riyadh critical to his efforts to curb Iran’s influence.