ISTANBUL Turkey is receiving intelligence that the Muslim cleric it blames for orchestrating a coup attempt this month could flee his residence in the United States, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Thursday.

Bozdag told broadcaster Haberturk TV that the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, could flee to Australia, Mexico, Canada, South Africa or Egypt. Turkey says Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, is the mastermind behind the failed July 15-16 putsch that attempted to overthrow the government.

Gulen denies the charge.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Can Sezer; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Michael Georgy)