By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
ANKARA (AA) – Turkey strongly protests against the decision of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office to impose sanctions, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement late Wednesday.
“The aggressive attitude of the U.S. serves no purpose; Turkey will respond likewise, ” it said.
The ministry called on the U.S. administration to reverse its “wrong decision “.
Foreign Minister Cavusoglu also tweeted: “US attempt to impose sanctions on our two ministers will not go unanswered ”
Previously, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. would impose sanctions on Turkish ministers of justice and interior for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.
Sanders said the U.S. would block the properties, if any, of the two Turkish ministers.
In a written statement published Wednesday, the U.S. Ministry of Treasury said Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul and Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu “played leading roles in the organizations responsible for the arrest and detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson “.
According to the U.S. law, those mentioned on the sanctions list face blocking of their properties (if they are any) and are prevented from having trade relations with the U.S.
– Brunson indictment
Brunson has been charged with spying for the PKK — a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey — and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.
The American pastor was arrested in October 2016; later, the Izmir 5th Penal Court of Peace ordered on Dec. 9, 2016, Brunson's continued detention pending trial.
On July 25, the High Criminal Court No:2 in Izmir decided to turn Brunson's detention into house arrest in light of his health problems.
Izmir Public Prosecutor Berkant Karakaya's indictment stated that Brunson acted in accordance with terrorist groups' strategies under the pretext of being a man of religion. It added that Brunson knew the aims of such groups and yet still willingly cooperated with them.
In the indictment, Brunson was mentioned as getting in touch with FETO's high-ranking members, using their alias. He was accused of determining his strategies by getting in touch with FETO's fugitives Bekir Baz, his assistant Murat Safa and Amnesty International's Turkey branch head Taner Kilic, who is pending trial in jail for “being a member of an armed terrorist group “.
In the technical investigation, 293 close GSM signals were detected from Brunson with fugitive Bekir Baz.
The indictment also includes a message sent to a U.S. soldier expressing sadness over the July 2016 defeated coup. The text message said: “We were expecting an earthquake to shake the Turkish nation. The conditions returning to Jesus were met now. Many Turks relied on the military like in the past, but this time it was too late. Another blow after the coup attempt. I think the situation is going to get worse. We'll win at the end. ”
