Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter is returning to the United States after being detained in a Romanian airport.

Romanian Border Police spokesman Fabian Badila confirmed to The Associated Press that the player left Romania for the United States via London.

Kanter, who is from Turkey, said in a video Saturday morning on his Twitter account that the Turkish embassy canceled his passport and he'd been detained for several hours at a Romanian airport.

Kanter said he believed he was held because of his political views. He's been a critic of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter supports Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who opposes Erdogan.

Kanter has been one of the NBA's best reserves the past two years. This season, he averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter is returning to the United States after being detained in a Romanian airport.

Romanian Border Police spokesman Fabian Badila confirmed to The Associated Press that the player left Romania for the United States via London.

Kanter, who is from Turkey, said in a video Saturday morning on his Twitter account that the Turkish embassy canceled his passport and he’d been detained for several hours at a Romanian airport.

Kanter said he believed he was held because of his political views. He’s been a critic of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter supports Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who opposes Erdogan.

Kanter has been one of the NBA’s best reserves the past two years. This season, he averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder's Enes Kanter was held by Romanian police at Bucharest airport after his passport was cancelled: AP

A Turkish basketball star has become the latest victim of Turkey’s widening international crackdown on alleged coup plotters and political dissidents.

Enes Kanter, who lives in the US while playing for NBA team Oklahoma City Thunder, was held by Romanian police at Bucharest airport after his passport was cancelled.

“We are in Romania and they said they cancelled my passport by Turkish embassy,” he said in the video, speaking in English.

“You know because the reason behind it is just of course my political views.”

Mr Kanter said he was held for several hours, accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being a “dictator” and the “Hitler of our century”.

“He is a bad, bad man,” the basketball player added, condemning an incident where Mr Erdogan’s bodyguards attacked anti-government protesters during his visit to Washington last week.

Mr Kanter’s agent, Melvut Cilnar, said he had since flown to London and expected to return to the US “very soon”.

Romania’s border police force said the basketball player had come from the US and made a stop in Frankfurt.

“At the border checkpoint it was discovered that his passport is not valid, his travel document being annulled by the issuing state,” a statement added.

Mr Kanter supports a movement run by Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of attempting to oust Mr Erdogan in a night of violence that left more than 240 people dead.

The sportsman severed ties with his family last year and publicly announced his support for Mr Gulen after Turkish media published a letter signed by his father, disowning his son.

Mr Gulen denies the claims, which have been dismissed by the UK, Germany and other nations who have also rejected the Turkish government’s attempts to label the group a terror organisation.

More than 150,000 people have been investigated in Turkey since July’s failed coup, seeing journalists, civil servants, judges, prosecutors, security personnel, teachers and academics dismissed or detained in huge purges.

Mr Erdogan’s government is now moving to extend the crackdown around the world, issuing letters from its embassies demanding the detention of selected suspects without trial.

The cancellation of passports has previously been used as a method to force deportation to Turkey, as in the case of three Turkish men extradited from Malaysia earlier this month.

Human rights groups warned that international school headteacher Turgay Karaman, academic Ismet Ozcelik and businessman Ihsan Aslan were “at risk of torture” after being detained in Dhaka and deported.

Their families deny any involvement in the coup and said they held valid visas in Malaysia, but police said the trio technically became illegal immigrants when Turkey cancelled their passports.

Turkey has applied pressure to countries around the world that are home to institutions backed by Mr Gulen, whose movement runs about 2,000 educational establishments in around 160 countries.

Many countries have refused its demands, but it appears that allies including Malaysia are acquiescing.

The crackdown has made Turkey world’s most prolific jailer of journalists, as reporters are arrested and papers shut down on charges of aiding the “Fethullah Gulen terrorist organisation”, as it is labelled by Ankara.

Four more journalists were arrested from the opposition Sozcu newspaper on Friday, which responded with a “May 19 Press Freedom Special Edition”, carrying empty columns with writers' names. Donald Trump was criticised for failing to raise the purges in a cosy press conference with Mr Erdogan, where he hailed Turkey’s “leadership” and partnership. The US President was previously condemned for congratulating Mr Erdogan as he won a controversial referendum to dramatically expand his powers last month, sparking alarm among European leaders and human rights groups warning of growing restrictions on political dissent. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder player Enes Kanter was detained for hours at an airport in Romania Saturday morning, after the Turkish embassy canceled his passport.

Kanter first alerted the internet of his situation in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

"What's up world. Just wanted to say we are in Romania and they said they canceled my passport by Turkish Embassy. They have been holding us here for hours by these two police," he began in the video.

Kanter, who is Turkish, said he was held by officials because of his strong political views and opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan .

"The guy who did it is the President of Turkey, and you guys know him by now. He's attacked the people in Washington he's a bad bad man. He is a dictator and he is the Hitler of our century. I'll keep you posted guys, but just pray for us and I'll tell you what's going on," Kanter added in the video.

Kanter has since been released and landed safely in London, the NBA confirmed, according to the New York Times.

Kanter has been outspoken since gaining prominence as a center for the Thunder, and was a noted supporter of the failed Turkish coup to oust Erdoğan in 2016.

Kanter on Saturday first retweeted the NBA wishing him a happy 25th birthday, but had posted the airport video within the next hour.

He was traveling as part of his tour with the Enes Kanter Light Foundation. </s> OKLAHOMA CITY – A foreign arrest warrant has been issued for an Oklahoma City Thunder player following an incident involving his passport.

Earlier this month, Enes Kanter said he was stopped at an airport in Romania after his travel documents were canceled by the Turkish government.

“They said (Turkey’s embassy) canceled my passport. They’ve been holding us here for hours,” Kanter said in a video posted to social media.

Kanter, who turned 25 on Saturday, said Ankara had canceled his passport because of his political views and that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was responsible.

Reporting on Kanter’s tweets, Turkish state media outlet Anadolu said Kanter is a supporter of cleric Fethullah Gulen, an Erdogan opponent who now lives in Pennsylvania.

Now, it seems that his political views may have landed him in even more hot water in Turkey.

According to NewsOk, Turkey has reportedly issued an arrest warrant for Kanter, accusing him of being involved with a terrorist organization.

The Daily Sabah reported that the warrant was issued due to Kanter’s support of Gulen.

Kanter said he hopes to become an American citizen in the future. </s> Apr 4, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) fouls Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (11) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports/Files

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - U.S.-based Turkish basketball star Enes Kanter was refused entry into Romania on Saturday because his Turkish passport had been cancelled, Romanian border police said.

Kanter, who plays in the NBA for Oklahoma City Thunder, is a long-time supporter of Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whose extradition Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan is seeking in relation to a failed coup last July.

Kanter said on his Twitter account that he would hold a news conference in New York on Sunday to discuss his situation.

"Got lots of things to say with lots of crazy stories, Be ready!!!" he said.

Kanter had tweeted earlier that Romanian police had detained him at Bucharest airport.

"I'm being held at Romanian airport by police," Kanter wrote, along with a photo of him with his arms around two police officers and a video describing what he said was his situation.

"We are in Romania and they said they cancelled my passport by Turkish embassy," he said in the video, speaking in English. "You know because the reason behind it is just of course my political views."

Neither the National Basketball Association nor the Oklahoma City Thunder were immediately available for comment on Kanter.

Kanter's agent, Melvut Cilnar, told Oklahoma media that the player was safe.

He said he and Kanter expected to return to the U.S. from London "very soon" but did not elaborate.

Romanian border police said in a statement that Kanter had come from the United States and made a stop in Frankfurt.

"At the border checkpoint it was discovered that his passport is not valid, his travel document being annulled by the issuing state," the statement said, adding he then flew on to London.

Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment.

Kanter said last year he had severed ties with his family and pledged allegiance to Gulen after Turkish media published a letter signed by Kanter's father, disowning his son. [L8N1AQ1ZU]

During the coup attempt, rogue soldiers in warplanes and tanks tried to seize power in Turkey in a putsch that killed more than 240 people. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile since 1999, has denied involvement. </s> A pro-government Turkish newspaper reports the country has issued an arrest warrant for Enes Kanter, claiming the Oklahoma City Thunder forward is a member of a terrorist group.

Kanter was temporarily detained last weekend in Romania, after officials there were notified his passport has been revoked by Turkey, where he is a citizen.

Kanter has been a vocal critic of Turkey’s leadership and recently compared President Erdogan to Adolf Hitler.

In response to the warrant, Kanter responded on Twitter with "You cannot catch me. Hahaha. Don't waste your energy."

Kanter received his green card last year, says he wants to become a United States citizen. </s> Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter was released Saturday after being held at a Romanian airport because of a canceled Turkish passport.

According to Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times, Romanian border police spokesman Fabian Badila said Kanter was allowed to leave on a flight to London:

"Today at around 1 p.m. local time, an individual arrived from Frankfurt. My colleagues established that his travel documents weren't valid, that they had been canceled by his home country, so he wasn't allowed to enter the country. At around 5 p.m., he left the airport on a flight to London. While he was at the airport, he wasn't detained or locked up; he was allowed to wander around, but he couldn't enter the country."

Royce Young of ESPN reported the NBA worked with the State Department to help get Kanter to London.

Kanter said he's planning a press conference in New York City on Sunday to give more details regarding being detained:

Kanter tweeted a video earlier in the day saying his passport had been canceled because of his political views:

Per ESPN.com, Kanter is an "outspoken critic " of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



Kanter is a supporter of Fethullah Gulen, who allegedly led a failed coup against Erdogan last year.

According to Hoffman, Kanter is in the middle of a tour for the Enes Kanter Light Foundation.

The 25-year-old was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz before getting traded to OKC in February 2015

His production has improved with the Thunder, and he is coming off a season that saw him average 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Kanter has one year remaining on his contract before he is eligible to opt out and become a free agent in 2018. </s> Enes Kanter, Oklahoma City Thunder center and Turkish native, has been detained in a Romanian airport after the Turkish embassy reportedly “canceled” his passport. The 25-year-old center, an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was previously in Indonesia for a stop on his Enes Kanter Light Foundation tour.

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According to the center, in a video posted on Saturday morning, authorities have “been holding us here for hours.”

Kanter blamed his passport’s seizure on his “political views,” mentioning Erdogan by name, calling him “a dictator” and “the Hitler of our century.”

Erdogan, faulted for his human rights abuses as Turkish president, was recently warmly welcomed by President Donald Trump in a White House meeting marred by Erdogan’s security detail and their response to the protesters:

Kanter appears to be taking his delay in stride:

The six-year pro’s support of 2016’s attempted military coup in Turkey and continued support of Fethullah Gülen and the Gülen movement cost him a great deal, his family moved to disown him and Kanter feels as if his anti-Erdogan critiques may have cost him a spot on the Turkish national team (Enes averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in only 21 minutes in 2016-17).

Kanter has not been shy in revealing that his political views have led to a series of death threats, and his troubles may not be over:

The Thunder, reportedly, are working with the Romanian government to untangle the situation. The center is in “high spirits,” according to his representative, identified only as “Fetic” by the Oklahoman:

“They’re doing OK,” Fetic said. “The police and the people at the airport, they’re just doing their job. Once they get a notification that someone’s passport is stolen or canceled, they have to do the regular process. From my understanding, he said they’re being treated well so far. They’re trying to explain the situation to these people, why the passport is canceled, and this is pretty new, even in these years, that a government would intentionally try to cancel someone’s passport in order to bring them back.”

Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Enes Kanter, a Turkish player with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, returns to the U.S. after having been briefly detained in Bucharest. Kanter alleged that his public opposition to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and support of exiled Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen had led to the cancellation of his Turkish passport.