Turkey detains 6 IS suspects 'plotting attack on opposition

Image
AFP Istanbul
Last Updated : Jul 05 2017 | 9:07 PM IST
Turkish police today detained six suspected members of the Islamic State extremist group planning a bomb attack on an opposition protest march, a provincial governor told Turkish media.
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu is on the final stage of a 450-kilometre (280-mile) "justice march" from Ankara to Istanbul to protest at the legal system under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Every day, thousands of people have accompanied Kilicdaroglu, who plans to finish the march with a mass rally in Istanbul on Sunday.
Suleyman Kamci, who governs the central Anatolian province of Kayseri, said police detained six IS militants after "acting on a good tip-off", the Hurriyet daily's website reported.
"They were going to attack the march with a minibus," he said. "A big provocation has been thwarted." There was no immediate confirmation from national officials.
Two of the would-be bombers were detained in Kocaeli in northwestern Turkey -- 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Istanbul and four others in Kayseri, Hurriyet said.
The governor said the suspects had put flags from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the minibus to give the impression the government was somehow involved.
Police have heightened security around the march following the latest detentions, Hurriyet said.
CHP spokesman Bulent Tezcan played down the detentions, saying they were part of "routine work" by the security forces.
"We are working to let the march take place in a safe environment despite all kinds of attempted provocations," he said.
"Each passing day the participants are increasing. I believe it will get even bigger when we approach Istanbul.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 05 2017 | 9:07 PM IST

Next Story