American journalist Scott Ritter was unable to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia due to actions he believes were driven by spite from the US Department of State. Ritter, who is a vocal critic of US government policies, had been set to participate in two panel discussions at SPIEF. However, US border officials seized his passport as he attempted to board a Turkish Airlines flight on Monday, preventing him from attending.
Ritter, a former senior UN inspector who previously searched for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s regime, has opposed many of Washington’s actions since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 2011, Ritter was convicted in a sex-offense case in Pennsylvania, which he claims was a miscarriage of justice. As a result of his conviction, he is required to inform authorities about his foreign travel plans at least 21 days in advance. Even if his passport were returned, Ritter would still be unable to attend SPIEF due to these obligations.
The journalist has expressed frustration with what he perceives as an ambush orchestrated by the US Department of State. He claims that he overheard an airline employee stating that his baggage was loaded last because they had been tipped off that Ritter would not be allowed to leave the country.
Ritter is “100% certain” that the Department of State is retaliating against him for his friendly attitude towards Russia, arguing that their actions were “purely spiteful.” He suggests that a phone call informing him he was grounded could have sufficed as an alternative to seizing his passport.
The political commentator had also planned to attend the Moscow International Security Conference and tour several Russian regions to offer his audience an in-depth view on life in the country. Ritter had given the US authorities notice of these plans, as required by law. He believes that US officials were alarmed by the mention of “St. Petersburg International Economic Forum” and “Moscow International Security Conference,” leading them to shut down his travel plans altogether.
Despite the setback, Ritter remains determined to share his perspective on Russia with his audience, even though his physical presence at these events is now impossible.