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WORLD NEWS Monday 16 april 2018

U.S. pastor faces terror charges

in fraught trial in Turkey

By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY and pastor. pastor of Izmir Resurrection
MEHMET GUZEL The Turkish government Church with a small Protes-
Associated Press has clearly linked Brunson's tant congregation. He was
IZMIR, Turkey (AP) — An case with its determination first detained in October
American pastor impris- to force the U.S. to extra- 2016 with his wife, Norine
oned in Turkey is going on dite Gulen — and some Brunson, who was later re-
trial for alleged terror ties see the pastor as a diplo- leased.
and spying in a case that matic pawn. Brunson's lawyer said he
has increased tensions be- The American Center for was healthy but "demoral-
tween Washington and An- Law and Justice, a conser- ized" after being stuck be-
kara. vative Christian group in hind bars, having missed his
Andrew Craig Brunson, a the U.S., has called Brunson daughter's engagement
50-year-old evangelical a "hostage of the Turkish and another child's gradu-
pastor from North Carolina, government." A petition ation.
is facing up to 35 years in has garnered more than The Izmir prosecutor's in-
prison on charges of "com- half a million signatures, dictment against Brunson
mitting crimes on behalf claiming that the case was claims he was in contact
of terror groups without putting Christianity on trial. with top-level executives
being a member" and "es- Brunson's lawyer, Ismail of Gulen's network and the
pionage." The trial begins Cem Halavurt, told The As- outlawed Kurdistan Work-
Monday in western Izmir sociated Press on Sunday ers' Party, or PKK. Both are In this undated file photo, Andrew Brunson, an American pastor,
province. he expects the pastor's designated terror groups in stands in Izmir, Turkey.
Brunson was arrested in De- acquittal, arguing that the Turkey. Brunson is accused Associated Press
cember 2016 for alleged "weak" indictment lacked of acting in "parallel and
links to both an outlawed sufficient evidence to coordinated fashion" with
Kurdish insurgent group make the case hold up in them, aiming to "divide" the
and the network of the U.S.- court. country.
based Muslim cleric who American officials have re- “We think we can debunk
Turkey blames for a mas- peatedly requested that these claims tomorrow,”
terminding a failed military Brunson be released — Brunson’s lawyer said.
coup that year. The cleric, President Donald Trump The prosecutor also accus-
Fethullah Gulen, denies the himself asked Turkish Presi- es Brunson of espionage,
claim. dent Recep Tayyip Erdo- saying Brunson acted “as
Brunson, who has lived in gan to have his govern- an agent of unconvention-
Turkey for 23 years, has de- ment "expeditiously" return al warfare,” gathering intel-
nied all allegations, saying the pastor to the U.S. ligence with religious work
that he solely worked as a But Erdogan fired back at as his cover. The indictment
Washington, demanding — based on the testimo-
that the U.S. first return Gu- nies of witnesses, including
len. three secret ones, and al-
"You give him to us and leged digital evidence —
we'll give you this one," he claims the pastor worked
said, referring to Brunson. to convert Kurds to Christi-
Turkey has submitted an anity to sow discord.
extradition request to the Halavurt called the use of
U.S. for Gulen, who lives in secret witnesses a “serious
Pennsylvania, but so far it wound” in Turkey’s legal
not been granted. That has system that has contrib-
created festering frustra- uted to Brunson’s suffering,
tion in the Turkish govern- and he argues that the
ment, which has hunted spying accusation is “com-
down tens of thousands pletely baseless.”
of alleged Gulen support- The lawyer said he is op-
ers and either imprisoned posed to the “politicization”
them or fired them from of Brunson’s case and says
government jobs. his client wants to remain in
Brunson has served as the Turkey if he’s acquitted.q