It's liberty as usual for sailors visiting Turkey, two month after protesters attacked sailors from the destroyer Ross during a port visit in Istanbul.

The four-star head of Naval Forces Europe said he has been happy with the actions of Turkish authorities to respond to an attack on three Ross sailors, depicted in a troubling video that was posted online. The attack was linked to a Turkish nationalist group called Youth Association of Turkey.

"I was very pleased with the prompt response of Turkish authorities in condemning this action, in arresting and charging those responsible and the personal assurances that I received from Turkish officials about the strong response they would take to ensure the safety and security of our sailors," said Adm. Mark Ferguson in a December interview with Navy Times.

In the video, the group confronts the sailors and calls them killers before grabbing hold of one of them and putting a white hood over his head.

In December, a Turkish news source reported that the protesters involved were up on charges of "insult" and "causing injury," as well as violating Turkey's protesting laws regarding protests.

Capt. Brenda Malone, spokeswoman for NAVEURFerguson, said in an email that there have been no specific liberty restrictions put in place on Turkish ports.

Ferguson said generally the Navy has generally been well-received well in Turkey, a NATO member.

"We've had a very strong relationship with Turkey, and their ports are very popular destinations," he said. "We'reve generally received with warm hospitality."

Ferguson indicated he thought the attackers were on the political fringes in Turkey and that he was particularly happy with how the Ross sailors handled themselves in the confrontation.

"I was very pleased with … the Ross sailors," he said. "I told the captain this, I was impressed that they extricated themselves, they did not escalate … when confronted with a situation that was threatening to them."

Ferguson said he is always reviewing force protection measures for each port ahead of visits.

Two days before the attack, U.S. forces in Europe were advised to avoid wearing their uniforms off base "to the max extent possible."

About David B. Larter

David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.

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