Former American Spy Scott Ritter Removed from New York-Istanbul Flight: What’s the Reason?

Former American spy and UN inspector Scott Ritter has informed a TASS correspondent that he was removed from a flight from New York to Istanbul, from where he intended to travel to Russia to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Ritter was planning to transit through Turkey and was set to fly from John F. Kennedy International Airport. “I was taken off the flight from New York, heading to Istanbul. They took my passport and removed my bags from the flight,” he stated.

He added that he was not informed of the reason why American authorities did not allow him to leave the country, with officials only mentioning that it was done under a State Department directive. He was escorted out of the airport and had his luggage returned.

The former American spy also reported that former American judge and Judging Freedom podcast host Andrew Napolitano will not travel to Russia either; however, according to Ritter, the latter “canceled his trip for entirely different reasons.”

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will take place from June 5-8, 2024, with the theme being “The Foundation of a Multipolar World: Creating New Growth Points.” It will feature meetings with representatives from small and medium enterprises and the creative business sector, along with student days, discussions on “pharmaceutical safety,” and forums dedicated to the “SPIEF Academy” and “SPIEF Junior.” The organizer is the Roscongress Foundation.