Turkish court releases US pastor Andrew Brunson
A U.S. pastor was flown out of Turkey on Friday after a court freed him from two years of detention, in a step that could improve U.S.-Turkish ties strained by disputes over Syria, Iran and Ankara's planned purchase of Russian military equipment.
Pastor Andrew Brunson was expected to land at Joint Base Andrews near Washington at around noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Saturday after a stop in Germany for a medical check-up.
Brunson was jailed two years ago and had been under house arrest since July. He was accused of links to the PKK and FETÖ.
The Turkish court sentenced Brunson to three years and 1-1/2 months in prison on terrorism charges, but said he would not serve any further jail time and freed him.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will receive American pastor Andrew Brunson at the White House once he arrives in the country.“So we have good news. Pastor Andrew Brunson is in the air, from Turkey. He is, I think, in good shape. He’ll be stopping, most likely, in Germany for a full check-up," Trump told reporters following the release of Brunson, who was sentenced in western Turkey over terror-related charges."And he’s going to be coming to the Oval Office, most likely on Saturday," he added, noting there was no deal made for his release.A Turkish court sentenced the pastor to three years and 45 days in prison Friday, but he will not serve time in jail. The court credited his time spent in detention and ended his house arrest and travel ban.Brunson was arrested on Dec. 9, 2016 on charges of being a member of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO). On July 25 of this year, citing Brunson's health problems, a court in the city of Izmir ordered him moved from jail to house arrest.Brunson's charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and FETO, the group behind the defeated coup attempt in Turkey of July 2016.Turkey and the U.S. have faced rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions over Brunson's detention.Political tensions between the two countries sparked worries in financial markets after Trump threatened to use economic pressure to secure Brunson's release.US military expected to fly freed American pastor from TurkeyAmerican pastor en route home to US: lawyerTrump cites hard work in US pastor Brunson case
US president to meet with freed pastor at White House
Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for more than 20 years, denied the accusations and Washington had demanded his immediate release.
U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell greeted Brunson and his wife during a refueling stop in Germany, the envoy said on social network Twitter.
"He’s almost home thanks to @realDonaldTrump," Grenell wrote. "When I presented him with the US flag, he immediately kissed it."
President Donald Trump said Brunson would probably visit the White House Oval Office on Saturday.
The U.S. military is expected to fly American evangelical pastor Andrew Brunson back to the United States after a Turkish court ruled on Friday he could go free, U.S. officials told Reuters.One of the officials said that Brunson could return to the United States as soon as Friday. A Pentagon spokeswoman told Reuters that the expected plan involved flying Brunson through Germany on the way back to America but did not specify timing.American pastor en route home to US: lawyerTrump cites hard work in US pastor Brunson caseTurkish court rules to release US pastor Brunson
US military expected to fly freed American pastor from Turkey
Asked if U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey to try to win Brunson's release might be lifted, Trump said no agreement was made for the pastor's freedom.
"There was no deal made at all. There was no deal. But we're very happy to have him and have him in good shape." Trump told reporters in Cincinnati.
'GREAT CHRISTIAN'
Dressed in a black suit, white shirt and red tie, Brunson wept as the court decision was announced, witnesses said. Before the judge's ruling, he had told the court: "I am an innocent man. I love Jesus. I love Turkey."
Witnesses told the court in the western town of Aliaga that testimony against the pastor attributed to them was inaccurate.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration was "working very hard" in the case of Andrew Brunson, shortly after a Turkish court ruled to release the U.S. evangelical Christian pastor."Working very hard on Pastor Brunson!" Trump wrote in a post on Twitter. He provided no further detail.He also said that he hopes Pastor Brunson to be safely back home soon.Working very hard on Pastor Brunson!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 12 Ekim 2018 My thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 12 Ekim 2018 Turkish court rules to release US pastor Brunson
Trump cites hard work in US pastor Brunson case
Brunson's mother told Reuters she and his father were elated at the news. "We are overjoyed that God has answered the prayers of so many people around the world," she said by telephone from her home in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Trump has used the Brunson case to try to score points with evangelical Christians, a large part of his political base, ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep control of Congress.
He has called Brunson, a native of North Carolina, a "great Christian", and Vice President Mike Pence, the White House's top emissary to evangelicals, had urged Americans to pray for Brunson.
"We thank God for answered prayers and commend the efforts of @SecPompeo & @StateDept in supporting Pastor Brunson and his family during this difficult time," Pence said on Twitter. "@SecondLady and I look forward to welcoming Pastor Brunson and his courageous wife Norine back to the USA!"
A Turkish court ruled on Friday to release U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson from house arrest, sentencing him to three years in jail but saying he will not spend any more time in custody because of time already served.The court's decision to lift judicial controls meant that evangelical pastor Brunson, at the heart of a diplomatic spat between the two countries, could leave Turkey and return to the United States.The court passed a 3 years and 1-1/2 month sentence on Brunson.Asked whether Brunson would go to the United States, his lawyer Ismail Cem Halavurt said: "He will probably leave."American pastor en route home to US: lawyerWitnesses said Brunson wept as the decision was announced. Before the judge's ruling, the pastor told the court: "I am an innocent man. I love Jesus, I love Turkey."The case against Brunson, an evangelical preacher from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than 20 years and was arrested two years ago, had led to U.S. tariffs against Turkey and drawn condemnation from President Donald Trump.Video: Turkish court releases US pastor Andrew BrunsonBrunson was charged with links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which Turkey says is responsible for the defeated July 15 coup attempt.Brunson appeared in the courtroom in the western coastal town of Aliaga wearing a black suit, white shirt and red tie. His wife Norine looked on from the visitors' seating area as he listened to testimony from defense and prosecution witnesses.Turkish court hears witnesses in US pastor's trial
Turkish court rules to release US pastor Brunson
NATO ALLIES
Relations between the two NATO allies have been under serious strain over U.S. support for the YPG/PKK in northern Syria, Turkey's plans to buy a Russian missile defence system, and the U.S. jailing of an executive at a Turkish state bank in an Iran sanctions-busting case.
The release of Brunson could help ease tensions, but political analysts say many unresolved problems remain.
"This is a necessary but far from sufficient step to reverse what has been a deepening rift between the United States and Turkey, two NATO allies," said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Ankara has demanded that the United States extradite FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen to Turkey. FETÖ terrorists are led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup attempt and is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.