US signals harsh sanctions against Turkey

Brian Nelson, the US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, who held meetings in Ankara and Istanbul, signaled that the US would impose harsh sanctions on Turkish companies and institutions associated with Hamas and Russia.

According to a report in Sözcü; Nelson, who stated that he conveyed to Turkish government officials that the US has deep concerns regarding the possibility of Hamas raising funds in Turkey, said in a statement yesterday: “It would be very bad if a future Hamas attack were linked to fundraising activities in Turkey. We are ready to do everything to end these, and we want to do this with Turkey's cooperation. However, we are also prepared to take unilateral steps.”

Stating that Turkey “holds an important place” in Hamas's fundraising activities, Nelson said, “We are deeply concerned that Hamas might find financial support in Turkey for potential future terrorist attacks.”

SOME TURKISH INSTITUTIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN SANCTIONED

Arguing that even though Turkey does not view Hamas as a terrorist organization, the group might be violating Turkish laws, Nelson also touched upon sanctions against Russia, noting that a large number of Russian ships and aircraft receive maintenance services at ports and airports in Turkey.

The US had previously begun imposing sanctions on some Turkish individuals and institutions on the grounds that they were linked to Russia and Hamas.

During his visit to Turkey in February, Nelson had also warned that Turkish companies and banks could face the risk of sanctions if they did business with Russian entities on the sanctions list.

News Source: 12punto