Turkish security units have taken high-level safety measures near the residence of US pastor Andrew Brunson with armored vehicles and special operations teams
Extensive security measures have been taken around the home of Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson in Turkey’s Izmir, who was moved to house arrest after 600 days in jail and has been a key factor in the strained relations between the U.S. and Turkey.
The house of Pastor Brunson and his street are being closely watched 24/7 by the Izmir Police Department, which is tracking his every move, stopping anyone who arouses suspicion and asking for their identity, while motorized police officers stand guard on both ends of the street.
The court decided to allow Brunson to live at his home address in Izmir, but barred him from "abandonment of residence" and also imposed a ban on him leaving the country at the end of July after being detained in the Aegean province of Izmir in December 2016.
He was charged with spying for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt and became the main reason of conflict between Turkey and the U.S.
Washington then imposed sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing the pastor.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday ramped up his attack on Turkey by doubling U.S. tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel imports to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday criticized the U.S., saying that Turkey will say “goodbye” to those who prefer terrorists as their strategic partner.
