Turkey has issued an arrest warrant for its former international football star striker Hakan Sukur as it probes last month's failed coup aimed at unseating President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media said.
Prosecutors in Sakarya province east of Istanbul accuse Mr Sukur of being a member of the organisation of the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara claims was behind the coup.
His arrest is sought on charges of "membership of an armed terror group", the state-run Anadolu agency said, referring to what Ankara calls the Fethullah Terror Organisation (FETO).
Mr Gulen denies such a group exists, and accusations that he masterminded the coup.
A warrant on identical charges has also been issued for his father, Selmet Sukur, the agency said.
Neither man had been found at their residences in Istanbul and Sakarya residences, the report said, adding that Mr Sukur and his family had left Turkey last year.
Both properties were searched by Sakarya police, Dogan news agency said.
The former striker is currently believed to be in the United States and Turkish media said an Interpol Red Notice would be requested for extradition.
Mr Sukur was one of the stars of Turkey's third-place performance in the 2002 World Cup and a household name in the football-mad country.
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