Turkey Denies U.S. Anti-War Leader
Fri Feb 7, 1:40 PM ET
AP

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Border police on Friday denied entry into Turkey to a
former U.S. Marine who is leading an anti-war group of "human shields"
headed for Iraq ahead of a possible U.S.-led attack, an official said.

Ken O'Keefe, the founder of the "Human Shield Mission" protest group who
flew into Istanbul from Italy, was not let into the country when he
presented a passport issued by the World Service Authority.

A spokesman of Istanbul airport, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
that Turkey does not recognize this passport.

The spokesman said O'Keefe protested, shouting that he had traveled across
the world with that passport and was a "citizen of the world."

The U.S.-based World Service Authority issues passports on the basis of an
article of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights that guarantees
the right to travel freely. The authority says the passport is recognized by
more than 150 countries.

Five other activists accompanying O'Keefe were allowed into the country,
while O'Keefe flew back to Italy.

O'Keefe, 33, is a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). He gave
up his U.S. citizenship four years ago to protest U.S. foreign policy.

Another 38 members of the group arrived in Istanbul on Friday in a convoy of
two red double-decker buses and several cars that has been traveling by land
from Britain.

Scores of Turks waving signs saying "No to war" greeted the convoy in
Istanbul's downtown Taksim square despite a heavy snowstorm.

The group, which includes Americans, Britons, Australians, Swiss and Greeks,
will be joined by several Turks, private NTV television reported.

They plan to reach Baghdad next week. The protesters left London on Jan. 25.









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