Politics

Turkey welcomes Sweden’s extradition of wanted convict


ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Monday welcomed Sweden’s extradition of a convicted member of an outlawed militant group, calling it a “start” that showed Stockholm’s sincerity in assuaging Turkey’s security concerns.

NATO-member Turkey has been holding up bids by Sweden and Finland to join the military alliance, pressing for the two Nordic countries to crackdown on groups it considers to be terrorists organizations and extradite suspects wanted in Turkey.

On Saturday, Sweden deported an unnamed man who fled there after being convicted by a Turkish court of membership in an armed organization in 2015. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency identified the man as Mahmut Tat who had been sentenced to more than six years in prison.

“We see this as a start showing (Sweden’s) sincerity and good will,” Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said in an interview with state-run TRT television. “God willing, (the extraditions) will continue with the same sincerity.”



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