Turkey denies report of plan to kidnap cleric Gulen from U.S.

Turkey has dismissed as “utterly false, ludicrous and groundless” a report that Turkish officials might have discussed paying millions of dollars to kidnap a U.S.-based Muslim cleric.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that special counsel Robert Mueller was investigating an alleged plot involving former national security adviser Michael Flynn and his son to hand Fethullah Gulen over to Ankara for as much as $15 million.

Lawyers for Flynn have disputed the report.

Turkey blames Gulen for a July 2016 coup attempt that killed 250 people. Gulen has denied being behind it.

From staff and wire reports