Turkey indicts third U.S. Consulate worker in Istanbul on terrorism charges
Turkey has indicted a third U.S. Consulate employee and his wife and daughter on charges of membership of a terrorist group, according to a copy of the indictment seen by Reuters, a move likely to further strain ties between Ankara and Washington.
Nazmi Mete Canturk, a security officer at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, and his wife and daughter are accused in the indictment of links to the network of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric blamed by Ankara for a failed 2016 coup.
A Turkish prosecutor is seeking jail sentences for all three on charges of membership of an armed terrorist organisation, according to the indictment, which was completed on March 8 but has not been made public.
It says Canturk was in contact with dozens of individuals under investigation for being members of Gulen's network and that "evidence has been obtained regarding the suspect's actions in line with the instructions of the (terrorist) organisation".
Canturk, his wife and daughter are cited in the indictment as denying the charges.
