US May Extradite Israeli Drug Dealer To Turkey

United Stats - State Department may extradite an Israeli prisoner serving time in Ohio to Turkey for drug trafficking. Daniel Rosen's attorney: ‘The long wait could end his life’ Roee Nahmias

The US State Department is expected to rule on whether 41-year-old Daniel Rosen, an Israeli citizen who is serving time at an Ohio prison, will be extradited to Turkey. Rosen has actually finished his prison term and was scheduled to be released in 2002, but his release was postponed due to an extraditing request by Turkey.

In 1990 when Rosen flew from Israel to Turkey and was detained there for suspicions of drug trafficking after Yassin Fakri, a local Turkish criminal, identified Rosen as his partner in crime. Rosen was carrying USD 20,000 he claimed were meant for gambling. After four hours at the police station in Antalya, Turkey, Rosen managed to escape to Israel, where he immediately changed his name. In 1995 Rosen flew to Miami, Florida where he was arrested for suspicions of involvement in a drug trafficking deal with a Cuban national. Following a trial he was sentenced to jail time in 1996 and was scheduled to be released in 2002.

Two months before his release, the Turkish police matched Rosen's fingerprints with the Americans and his new identity was revealed. Turkey filed an extraditing request with the State Department and Rosen's release was delayed.

Should Rosen be extradited to Turkey he is facing a harsh sentence to be served in an infamous Turkish prison system. "We are very concerned that once the State Department handles the case Daniel will be extradited to Turkey, which to him means a death sentence," a relative said.