JUDGE IN ZARRAB CASE REFUSES TO LET DEFENSE SHOW FBI AFFIDAVIT TO TURKISH MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

The Court has handed a setback to the defense lawyers for Reza Zarrab, in their attempt prove that the information, from a purported Turkish police report, used in an FBI affidavit, used to obtain a search warrant, was known to be discredited, and untrue. They are seeking to exclude the evidence seized, pursuant to that warrant, and are asking that the Protective Order be lifted, to allow the Turkish Ministry of Justice to see the affidavit, in order to authenticate the document, and the information contained therein.

After reciting that the existing Protective Order in the case was appropriately negotiated, and entered into by both the prosecutors, and the defense team, the Court, speaking through Judge Berman, ordered:

                 Based upon the record herein, the Court perceives no basis to depart
                 from the parties Protective order, and to determine that access to the
                 September 3014 affidavit is necessary for the purpose of preparing
                 the defense of this case. the defense application herein is respectfully
                 denied. Endorsement and Order.

The purported police report, which was found on the Internet, may have contained untrue information, and have been planted for purely political purposes.