BREAKING NEWS

Reports of deal between U.S., Turkey over Israel detainee 'baseless'

ISTANBUL - Reports that a Turkish detainee in Israel was released as a result of a deal with the United States in return for the release of US pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey are "completely baseless," a senior Turkish official said on Friday.

Israel arrested Ebru Ozkan while she was visiting as a tourist last month. On July 8, it indicted her in a security court for ties to Hamas, charges her lawyer denied and which angered Turkey. She was deported a week later.