US-based cleric rejects links to Russian envoy's killing

A Turkish police officer secures the road leading to the Russian embassy in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, Dec, 21, 2016. Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was assassinated Monday by a police officer during the opening of a photo exhibition. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

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The wife of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov who was assassinated Monday, cries over her husband's coffin, draped in the Russian flag, during a ceremony at the airport in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec, 20, 2016. (AP Photo/ Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Marina, the wife of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov who was assassinated Monday, waves at a departing plane carrying also the coffin of her husband following a ceremony at the airport in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Dec, 20, 2016.Turkey and Russia are more committed than ever to advance peace efforts in Syria, the two countries' foreign ministers declared Tuesday, a day after the killing in an attack both countries described as an attempt to disrupt their improved ties.(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

MOSCOW – A U.S.-based Muslim cleric has condemned the killing of Russia's envoy to Turkey and rejected accusations that his movement was behind the attack.

Ambassador Andrei Karlov was shot dead by an off-duty policeman in front of stunned onlookers at a photo exhibition in Ankara this week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has implicated Fethullah Gulen in the killing, saying the policeman had links to his movement.

In a video address made available to the Associated Press, Gulen accused the Turkish government of blaming and defaming his movement and suggested the government would facilitate other assassinations and blame them on his followers.

Gulen said "it is not possible for them to convince the world of such accusations."

A ceremony Thursday in Moscow for Karlov will be attended by President Vladimir Putin.