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Turkey issues detention warrant for 2nd US consulate worker
[RT] Ankara has issued a detention warrant for a second US consulate worker, according to media reports. It comes after Turkey’s justice minister urged the US to reverse its decision to suspend visas for Turkish citizens. Turkish authorities announced, without giving a reason, that a second employee of the US consulate in Istanbul had been “invited” to the city’s chief prosecutor’s office to testify, AP reported.Reports say the employee is a Turkish citizen, and the prosecutor’s office said his wife and child have also been detained for questioning. It follows the arrest of Metin Topuz, a Turkish citizen who worked at the US general consulate in Istanbul. He is alleged to have ties to exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for a failed coup attempt last summer. US envoy to Turkey says duration of visa services suspension depends on talks
In a written statement, Ambassador John Bass said the length of the suspension would also depend on "the Turkish government's commitment to protecting our facilities and personnel here in Turkey", noting it was not a visa ban on Turkish citizens. He said the embassy had been unable to learn the reasons for the arrest of a Turkish staff member last week and or what evidence exists against the employee.
In a speech to his ruling party's legislators in Parliament, Yildirim also slammed Washington for the arrest of a Turkish banker for his alleged role in helping Iran escape US sanctions, and for its failure to extradite US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey says was behind last year's failed coup. Posted by: Fred 2017-10-10 |
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