According to Russian news outlet TASS, Ritter was prevented from boarding a flight from New York to Istanbul, a layover on his way to Russia.
No further explanation was given. The only information provided was that this action was carried out on orders from the Department of State.
“I was boarding the flight. Three [police] officers pulled me aside. They took my passport. When asked why, they said ‘orders of the State Department.’ They had no further information for me,” Ritter told RT. “They pulled my bags off the plane, then escorted me out of the airport. They kept my passport.”
According to Russian news outlet TASS, Ritter was prevented from boarding a flight from New York to Istanbul, a layover on his way to Russia.
No further explanation was given. The only information provided was that this action was carried out on orders from the Department of State.
“I was boarding the flight. Three [police] officers pulled me aside. They took my passport. When asked why, they said ‘orders of the State Department.’ They had no further information for me,” Ritter told RT. “They pulled my bags off the plane, then escorted me out of the airport. They kept my passport.”