Turkey Detains an American Cleric Over Alleged Connection to Terrorism

Advisor April 26, 2018

Turkey’s Suspicion

A pastor from America has been alleged to have helped in the planning of an attempted but foiled military overthrow. He was accused of being an accomplice to one revolutionary organization that carried out the failed mission and currently, he’s been detained in Izmir, Turkey, while awaiting his trial that will commence next Monday.

However, the attorney representing him, Ismail Cem Halavurt, said that the real reason behind his detention was because of his Christian belief. Halavurt explained that the cleric, Andrew Brunson, has been held hostage since one and a half years ago, charged with a lawsuit that is completely without foundation, for assisting one terrorist group and he may regain his freedom next Monday.

The pastor will go on trial by Monday, after being held in the custody of the Turkish government in Izmir since 2016.

Andrew Brunson is a North Carolina cleric of the Christian denomination who came to Turkey twenty-three years ago, and has been residing there ever since. He was recently implicated in a case nailing him on a Turkish terrorist organization which is suspected to be behind the military coup that happened in 2016, targeted at overthrowing the Turkish president, Tayyip Erdogan. Fortunately, the aim was unsuccessful.

Andrew’s trial has been counted as being among many other litigational charges that have negatively affected the relationships between America and Turkey, the same two countries that are at loggerheads over the U.S. solidarity for one Kurdish fighter in the Northern part of Syria. Turkey believes that the group is an insurgent gang.

The senator representing North Carolina, Thom Tillis, is expected to be present at the court hearing on Monday and the ambassador for religious independence, Sam Brownback.

Halavurt pointed out that proofs are on ground to indicate the true reason behind Brunson’s arrest, which was based on his religious beliefs, with the excuse that the pastor’s Christian programs are working in favor of the terrorist’s groups in the country because the Turkish authorities see them as aiding the insurgency.

Halavurt insisted that Brunson is being apprehended because he’s a Christian

US vs Turkey

The US government in Washington is clamoring for the release of Brunson but the Turkish leader, Erdogan, indicated in 2017 that the preacher’s fate would be connected to the fate of Fethullah Gulen, the Islamic preacher who lives in the U.S. The Turkish authorities have continuously sought for Gulen’s deportation and handled his cases where he’s been charged on coup complicity.

The office of the investigators in Izmir had released a statement that adequate proofs were gotten and they were enough to sue Brunson, who helped the equipped terrorist groups and scooping vital data from the government for the purpose of spying on military and political activities. The prosecuting agency is looking at nothing less than thirty-five years worth of jail term.

One duplicated document containing details of the cleric’s alleged crimes pointed finger at him for liaising with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the connection of Gulen that has battled a terrorist in the southeastern side of Turkey and has stationed an insurgent team by the European Union and the US.

Turkey has been battling insurgency cases for years, so, linking any suspicious activities to terrorism, is not a surprise

Halavurt believes that Brunson should be released soon since no justifiable reasons could be found for the prolonged detainment as the trial progresses. He said their expectations before the proceeding would put an end to the apprehension, and they want the pastor to be released without further delay.

The members of the Resurrection Church based in Izmir prayed for Brunson last Sunday, after which Norine, Brunson’s wife, read the message sent in by her husband to the congregation where he addressed the reticence and blackness surrounding his custody. He ended it with the conclusion where he referred to himself as an incarcerated man of God.

Turkey and PKK had been having bloody wars since the summer of 2015 after prolonged peace dialogues and attempted entreaties that lasted for 2 years which was launched in 2012. Unfortunately, the goals of brokering peace was not successful because of rising unease caused by a Syrian border in 2014. Then, Turkey blocked the Kurds from giving back-up to its fighters battling the ISIS.