New York Times correspondent denied entry into Turkey

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times reported that one of its correspondents was briefly detained by border officials in Turkey as he arrived Tuesday at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, then was forced to take a flight back to London with no explanation for why he had been refused entry into the country.

The action against Rod Nordland, a veteran Times correspondent, appeared to be part of a broader government crackdown against the domestic and foreign news media, the Times said.

There was no immediate explanation from Turkish officials about the action, the Times said, adding this appeared to be the first time a Times correspondent had been denied entry into Turkey.

The Times reported that Nordland said in an email that he was stopped by the border police after having arrived at the Istanbul airport from London. They told him they were placing him on the next flight back, "no reason given," Nordland wrote.

Turkish officials had earlier expressed unhappiness over some articles written by Nordland in November and December, the Times said.

Dean Baquet, executive editor of The Times, said in a statement, "The Turkish government's action is an affront to freedom of the press and an effort to keep the world from having access to independent reporting from Turkey."

An official of the office of the Turkish presidency was not immediately available for comment to The Associated Press.