Turkish Parliament Speaker Doubts Existence Of Evidence Proving Terror Threat In Istanbul

ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2023) Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop said on Sunday that he doubted the countries that closed their consulates in Istanbul could present proof of a potential terrorist threat.

"If they had evidence, it would have been right to share it with us. As no evidence has been presented so far, it means that they do not have it," Sentop was quoted as saying by Turkey's TRT Haber broadcaster.

Earlier in the week, the consulates of Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Germany in Istanbul stopped receiving visitors, citing security concerns, after a series of Quran-burning protests in northern Europe. The United States and several other nations have issued travel warnings.

The ambassadors of these countries were summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry over the closures of consulates.

On Thursday, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu called the move a "psychological war" against his country.