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Turkish guards will be charged in embassy protests, officials say

Piecake

Member
D.C. authorities will announce criminal charges Thursday against 12 members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail and the police force who authorities say attacked protesters outside the ambassador’s residence last month, according to two officials familiar with the case.

The charges come nearly a month after the clashes at Sheridan Circle along Massachusetts Avenue’s Embassy Row. Police and other officials say various members of Erdogan’s visiting security team, some of them armed, attacked a group protesting his regime as police struggled to restore order. Bystanders recorded the confrontation with cellphones.

Some critics were angry that police did not make more arrests on the spot. The U.S. State Department ordered a federal police agency to release two presidential guards taken into custody, saying they had diplomatic immunity.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...cee1ea-46d1-11e7-bcde-624ad94170ab_story.html
 

cameron

Member
Those guys will be on a flight back to Ankara tonight.
Looks like the security detail are not currently in the U.S.
Authorities have scheduled an 11:45 a.m. news conference with D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham. Police officials say arrest warrants have been issued and that the suspects, all believed to be in Turkey, are now wanted in the United States.
Law enforcement and legal experts have said bringing the attackers to justice could be difficult because Turkey is unlikely to extradite suspects or make them available for interviews.



For those that didn't see it, NYT did an extensive analysis of all photos/video taken during the attack:
The New York Times reviewed videos and photos to track the actions of 24 men, including armed members of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail, who attacked protesters in Washington last week. Many of the protesters were American citizens.
 

akira28

Member
we should have some ringers waiting for them next time. They look like nuns with signs, but they're really all MMA fighters there to beat the shit out of some Turkish bodyguards.
 

cameron

Member
Per the other thread, 2 have already been arrested.



I can only hope this reins in their bullshit when their delegation is in the U.S.

Not that Turkey will be making another state trip anytime soon.

Those 2 that were arrested appear to be Americans who are supporters of Erdogan.
Washington police officials confirmed that the two Americans are Sinan Narin, of Virginia, and Eyup Yildirim, of New Jersey. Mr. Narin was charged with felony and misdemeanor assault. Mr. Yildirim, who can be seen on video repeatedly kicking a protester, was charged with two felony counts and one misdemeanor assault count. The two did not immediately return calls on Wednesday requesting comment.

The police declined to comment on others facing charges, but were expected to release details on Thursday.
They were not part of the security detail.
And then there was the added wrinkle that the entire security detail for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey had left the country with him just hours after the attack. Members of the security team face several felony and misdemeanor counts, the American officials said.

It is highly unlikely that Turkey would extradite the men to the United States to face the charges, but they do face the possibility of arrest should they ever try to re-enter the country.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/world/middleeast/turkish-guards-washington-attack.html
 
So you mean nothing will happen?

It's not that I don't want to see justice, but it's been so long that any of the men involved will be Turkey by now and so protected by international red tape, they will likely never see court.

If the US really wanted to punish Turkey now, it would eject the Turkish embassy, but that is even less of a chance.
 

MarionCB

Member
Good. It really disturbed me that they could do this with impunity. Even if they flee justice to Turkey, at least the point has been made and they can't come back. Hopefully, if it happens again, they can arrest them on the spot.
 
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