Freed US pastor flying home
Preacher released early due to good conduct in jail and court
ALIAGA ( Turkey): An American pastor held for two years in Turkey was expected back in the United States today after a court freed him in a case that sparked a crisis in Ankara’s ties with Washington and trouble for its economy.
The court in the western town of Aliaga convicted Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges and sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in jail, a correspondent said.
However, he was released taking into account time served and his good conduct during the trial, with the court lifting his house arrest and overseas travel ban.
After briefly going back to nearby Izmir to collect belongings, Brunson was driven to the city’s airport where he boarded a US military plane.
Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany, later tweeted a picture showing Brunson kissing an American flag he was given at an air base where the plane landed for refuelling.
“He’s almost home thanks to @ realDonaldTrump. When I presented him with the US flag, he immediately kissed it. #agratefulnation,” wrote Grenell.
The US President had pressed Turkey to release Brunson, who has become a cause celebre for Donald Trump’s conservative Christian base.
Trump said he would meet the pastor as soon as he returns.
“Good news, Pastor Brunson is in the air,” Trump told reporters as he arrived in Cincinnati on a campaign stop ahead of congressional elections.
The president opened the rally by telling supporters he was “proud to report” Brunson’s release.
“I think he’s going to be in great shape,” Trump said.
Brunson, who was first detained in October 2016, faced up to 35 years in jail on charges of aiding terrorist groups and espionage. Prosecutors then demanded a sentence of up to 10 years.
He was convicted on charges of aiding terrorist groups while not being a member of them. Brunson and US officials insisted he is innocent of all charges.
When the verdict was read out, Brunson wept and hugged his wife Norine.
Brunson’s detention caused not just one of the worst diplomatic rows of recent times between Nato allies Turkey and the United States, but also led to a crash in the Turkish lira which exposed the country’s economic fragility.
But further strains remained. After his release, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to free “quickly” other Americans in detention.
Nasa scientist Serkan Golge, a dual US-Turkish national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in February on terror charges, a term reduced to five years last month.
And two Turkish employees of US diplomatic missions remain in jail. One of them, former Adana consulate staffer Hamza Ulucay, was on Friday denied release in a separate court hearing.