Suspected ISIS member stuck at Greece-Turkey border, deported to USA

·

An American man suspected of being a member of the Islamic State group is being repatriated to the United States after spending three days in a no man’s land between Turkey and Greece, Turkey’s Interior Ministry said Thursday.

The United States agreed to take him in and will provide him with travel documents, the ministry said, adding that the repatriation was underway.

Greece refused to take him in after Turkey had tried to send him over, which resulted in him being stuck at the Greece-Turkey border for 3 days.

The move comes a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.

The man was stuck in the heavily militarised border zone after Turkey tried to expel him to Greece on Monday, but Athens refused him entry.

Turkish media have identified him as 39-year-old Mohammad Darwis B. and said he was an American citizen of Jordanian background.

The Ministry said on Thursday, the man had asked to be deported to a “third country” and chose Greece.

He had been spotted in the no man’s land for three straight days. Media reports said Turkish authorities allowed him to spend the night in a vehicle, where he was fed.

Turkey has engaged in a new push to deport foreign IS members who are held in Turkish prisons or in Syria, since it invaded parts of northeast Syria to drive away Syrian Kurdish fighters it considers to be terrorists from a border area.

Turkey’s Interior Ministry on Thursday expelled seven German and one British IS suspects to Berlin and London. The state-run Anadolu Agency said two men, four women and an infant were transported onto the tarmac at Istanbul Airport in a vehicle belonging to Turkey’s migration agency and boarded a plane bound for Berlin.

There was no information on their identities.

Three foreign IS suspects — from the United States, Denmark and Germany — were deported on Monday.

Turkey also plans to soon deport other alleged IS members, including two Irish and 11 French citizens.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry also said Thursday that a wanted IS suspect was detained by anti-terrorism police in a raid in Istanbul after he illegally crossed into Turkey from Syria. The ministry said the man, whom it identified as Mevlut Cuskun, was being questioned by police.

Advertisement

Source:ABC News

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From Metallica to Maritime: The many lives of Greek shipping tycoon Harry Vafias

Though Greek shipping tycoon, Harry Vafias, spends much time working, it certainly isn't a case of 'all work and no play.’

‘I want them to know their word matters’: Peter Georgiou stands against gender violence

Peter Georgiou, a real estate agent from Rushcutters Bay and father of four-year-old twins Leila and Lola, believes change begins at home.

Thessaloniki’s Byzantine walls to shine with new light project

Thessaloniki’s iconic Byzantine Walls are set to be illuminated under a major cultural initiative announced by the Greek Ministry of Culture.

Greek World Heritage Cities face rising climate threats

Iconic Greek cities—Athens, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Rhodes, and Patmos—face serious climate threats, according to a new UNESCO-backed report.

Are apps like Duolingo enough to learn Greek, or do we need a tutor?

For many people who want to learn conversational Greek, an app, can be a very useful addition to your program.

You May Also Like

Tsitsipas brothers advance to next round of Australian Open for first time as a team

Petros and Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to advance to the 2nd round of the Australian Open. 

Global fallout as US strikes Iran nuclear sites

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated sharply after the United States launched a major strike on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne to meet Greek counterpart in Athens today

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has arrived in Athens and is set to meet with Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias on Wednesday December 8