Law enforcement officials plan to announce charges against a dozen members of the Turkish president’s security detail for their involvement in a brutal attack on protesters outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence here last month, New York Times reported on Wednesday citing two American officials.
The authorities have already charged several others, including two Americans and two Canadians, with taking part in the violent skirmish.
According to the report, the Washington police have been investigating the May 16 attack along with the State Department and the Secret Service.
Two Turkish-American men were arrested Wednesday for their role in a Washington brawl with protestors on May 16 following the White House visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Coming almost a month after the episode, the charges are the most significant retaliatory step taken to date by American authorities.
Members of the security team face several felony and misdemeanour counts, said the American officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the charges before they were made public.
It is highly unlikely that Turkey would extradite the men to the United States to face the charges, but they do face the possibility of arrest should they ever try to re-enter the country, the report added.
The State Department said in a statement on Wednesday that it would weigh additional action against those who have been charged, “as appropriate under relevant laws and regulations.”
