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As ISIS Streams Over The Border, Turkey Detains US Citizen

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Russ Read Pentagon/Foreign Policy Reporter
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Turkey arrested a U.S. citizen for supposedly violating a a military zone near its border, yet thousands of Islamic State recruits have done the same without reproach.

Lindsey Snell, a freelance journalist from Florida, was arrested in early August for allegedly crossing the border illegally, confirmed Department of State spokesman John Kirby Thursday. She had been working as a freelance journalist before her arrest, and had reportedly been captured by the terrorist group formerly known as the Nusra Front in July. Snell successfully escaped her captors, only to be arrested by Turkish authorities.

“A U.S. journalist was captured while she was trying to cross the border illegally; she was taken to court and remanded,” reported Yeni Safak, a Turkish media outlet with close ties to Islamist government. “The trial phase is ongoing. For now, we do not know if she is a spy or not.”

Turkey’s allegations are surprising, given the historically porous nature of the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey has acted as the main hub for ISIS recruits traveling to the so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq, with some reports that Turkish officials have been complicit in aiding the recruits.

Snell, who identified herself as a Muslim on Facebook, was working as a video journalist out of Istanbul before her capture and arrest. She had previously done some freelance work for Vocativ, but had not worked with the company for several months when she was captured. Snell had apparently secured permission from Nusra Front to film in its territory, but was arrested while staying with the family of one of the group’s dead fighters.

“Because of my unique situation, I was able to convince my captors to give me the use of a phone…which ultimately let me plan my escape, but which also let me document much of my captivity in photos and video,” said Snell in a Facebook post Aug. 5, shortly after her escape. She would be arrested by Turkish authorities two days later.

Snell is currently being held in a prison in Turkey’s Hatay province. Kirby confirmed that State Department personnel visited her Aug. 26, but did not demand her release, saying only that State is “providing all possible consular assistance.” Turkey has recently made efforts to secure its border after immense international pressure, but it may be too late, given the untold thousands who have crossed into Syria.

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