Turkey says Turkish banker trial in U.S. of "no legal validity"

ANKARA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul said on Tuesday that the U.S. trial of a former Turkish banker, charged with helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions, is of "no legal validity."

In an interview with the Turkish broadcaster Kanal 24, Gul said the trial of former senior manager of state-run Halkbank Mehmet Hakan Atilla in New York had "no legal validity."

It would be impossible to accept a verdict contrary to Turkey's interests in the case, which has strained ties between the NATO allies, Gul said.

Recent developments in the case and the cross-examinations showed that "the case has actually collapsed," he added.

Atilla, the former deputy CEO of Halkbank, was arrested in the United States earlier this year on charges of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this week, Gul criticized that the case "serves the purpose of completing an unfinished operation of a terrorist organization against Turkey," referring to Gulen network, accused by Ankara of orchestrating the defeated coup on July 15, 2016.

Gul said he had yet to receive a response from the United States to his letter. Enditem