Turkey arrests suspected American, Briton ISIL members entering from Syria

ISTANBUL - The Associated Press

REUTERS photo

An American and a British man, allegedly members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), were arrested in Turkey after crossing the border from Syria and handing themselves over to the authorities, officials said April 28.

A Turkish official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol, said American Kary Paul Kleman and Briton Stefan Aristidou arrived at the Öncüpınar border crossing in the Kilis province on April 20 and were arrested four days later.

Kleman was traveling with his Syrian wife and four children. His family was put under administrative detention to be deported to the U.S. in order to keep them together, according to the official.

A British Foreign Office official said British authorities are in contact with Turkish authorities “following the detention of a British man on the Turkey/Syria border.” Aristidou’s British wife and child would be deported to the U.K., according to the Turkish official.

State-run Anadolu Agency reported on April 28 that the men were detained and later arrested on suspicion that they are members of the jihadist group.

The agency said two Egyptians and four more children were also traveling with the group and will be deported.