COLOGNE, Germany, July 26 (AFP) - An Islamic extremist facing expulsion to Turkey can stay in Germany for up to three months longer than planned while his legal appeals are heard, officials said Monday.
Just before the stay of deportation was to run out for Metin Kaplan, known as the Caliph of Cologne, authorities in this western German city said he could remain until October 27.
"His stay will be extended because the administrative court in Cologne has not yet ruled on the extention of his reprieve from deportation," city spokesman Juergen Muellenberg said.
"This stay will expire earlier automatically when the administrative court has decided on the deportation order."
The federal government and the city of Cologne have been battling to kick Kaplan, 51, out of the country for more than a year but have been thwarted by court rulings arguing that he could face mistreatment if sent back to Turkey.
Turkey, which is predominantly Muslim, wants to put him on trial for attempting to overthrow its secular government, calling for a holy war and plotting to attack a shrine to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, modern Turkey's founder.
Kaplan, who has appealed against his expulsion to a federal court, ended a four-year prison term in Germany in March 2003 for inciting members of the Hilafet Devleti group or "Caliphate" to murder a rival Islamic leader.
The federal court is not likely to rule for another three to four months and the adminstrative court in Cologne was to decide whether he could be deported, possibly as soon as midnight July 27, while his appeal is pending.
The city's ruling allows him to remain in Germany until the Cologne court has ruled.