Turkish authorities have disclosed the passport of a U.S. citizen who was detained and arrested on the charges of “forging official documents” while reportedly trying to help a Syrian national leave Turkey.
On the first page of the passport, it is seen that the U.S. citizen, identified only by initials D.J.K., was born in Syria in 1988 and received his travel document on May 18, 2021, which is valid until May 17, 2026.
Meanwhile, the U.S. officials denied the allegations that D.J.K. was a U.S. diplomat following reports in the Turkish media that he worked for the U.S. Consulate in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut.
Yesterday, the U.S. State Department said it was aware a U.S. citizen had been detained in Turkey but denied the person was a government diplomat.
It said the detained individual was being provided with the “appropriate consular services.”
Turkish police detained D.J.K. at Istanbul Airport on Nov. 11 on suspicion of selling a forged passport, along with R.S., a Syrian national.
Police also seized an envelope containing $10,000 from the American suspect.
He was jailed while the Syrian was released pending possible proceedings for falsifying document.
Hurriyet Daily News