‘Turkish justice will have final say on pastor case’

By Kemal Karadag

ANKARA

Turkey’s judicial system will have the ultimate say on a detained American pastor, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said Thursday in reaction to threatened sanctions by U.S. President Donald Trump against Ankara.

Gul’s statement came shortly after Ankara responded to remarks by Trump in which he threatened the country with sanctions unless Ankara releases pastor Andrew Brunson, who is under house arrest in Turkey over terror charges.

“Turkey is a fully independent and sovereign country that determines its own destiny,” Gul said on Twitter.

“The Brunson case will proceed in its own way, as it should be in a fully independent and sovereign country, and supreme Turkish justice will have the ultimate say,” he added.

In an attempt to interfere with NATO member Turkey's judiciary, Trump tweeted: "The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their longtime detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson."

Brunson was transferred to house arrest Wednesday after being detained in Izmir province since December 2016.

He was charged with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group Turkey accuses of orchestrating the defeated July 2016 coup attempt.