Turkish opposition MP calls Trump's threat 'sloppy'

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A senior lawmaker of the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) has termed threats of American President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Turkey as a "sloppy stance".

Speaking to journalists in the parliament on Tuesday, Ozturk Yilmaz said Trump cannot threaten Turkey.

"As sons of a country who have waged War of Independence, we raze your sloppy stance to the ground," Yilmaz, a lawmaker from eastern Ardahan province, said.

Yilmaz added Turkey was never afraid of threats of any country.

Relations between the countries soured after Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey over American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who was arrested in the Aegean province of Izmir in December 2016.

Brunson was charged with committing crimes, including spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated coup attempt of July 2016.

Turkish prosecutors are seeking 15 years in prison for Brunson for committing crimes on behalf of terrorist groups without being a member, with up to 20 years for political or military espionage.