ISTANBUL — Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday he expected a request to be made to the U.S. authorities for the extradition of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by President Tayyip Erdogan of leading a plot to seize power.

A Turkish court issued an arrest warrant in December for Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Asked in an interview with Reuters if an extradition request would now follow, Davutoglu said:

"Yes, of course, if needed yes. It is not our choice - it is the decision of the court, not the decision of the government. The government will do whatever is needed," he said.