Turkey says it foiled ISIS attack on Istanbul synagogues, churches
Turkey's interior minister said that 29 people have been detained over suspected links to the Islamic State, thwarting attacks on Jewish and Christian places of worship in Istanbul.
ANKARA — Turkish security forces detained 29 individuals over suspected links to the Islamic State, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Friday. The people were allegedly planning attacks on synagogues and churches in Istanbul.
Yerlikaya said the suspects were rounded up in raids in nine provinces including in Istanbul and the capital Ankara as part of an operation dubbed "Heroes-37."
He added the joint operation by Turkish police and the National Intelligence Agency was put together after the authorities established that the suspects were carrying out reconnaissance activities in synagogues and churches in Istanbul.
DEAŞ Terör Örgütüne yönelik İstanbul merkezli 9️⃣ ilde düzenlenen “KAHRAMANLAR-37” Operasyonunda 2️⃣9️⃣ Şahıs Yakalandı❗
— Ali Yerlikaya (@AliYerlikaya) December 29, 2023
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Terör Örgütleri ve onların İş Birlikçileriyle mücadelemiz kararlılıkla devam edecek❗
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❌MİT Başkanlığı ile Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü İstihbarat Başkanlığı ve… pic.twitter.com/xfu2gbrKT1
Turkey’s state-run Anadolu News Agency identified the three suspects as high-level ISIS militants Micbel el Shuvayhi, Mohammed Hilaf Ibrahim and Abdullah Al Jumayli Iyhab Alani and reported that the suspects were planning an attack on Iraq’s Embassy in Ankara.
