Türkiye Arrests 25 Suspects Linked to Istanbul Church Shooting

February 2, 2024 Hour: 11:50 am

On Friday, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that Turkish authorities have arrested 25 individuals in relation to the church attack in Istanbul.

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The arrested suspects face charges of “membership in an organization” and “intentional homicide,” Tunc said on the social media platform X.

Among those detained are the two assailants, believed to be associated with the Islamic State, which is responsible for fatally shooting a Turkish citizen during a service at the St. Mary’s Church in the Sariyer district.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya had previously stated that the attackers came from Tajikistan and Russia.

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The text reads, “Istanbul: Terrorists storm a Catholic church during mass, shoot parishioners, and kill at least one person.”

Turkish police initially detained 60 suspects on Sunday when the church attack occurred. Shortly after, 26 suspects were released and deported to Russia and Tajikistan. Some 34 suspects were charged with murder and membership in an armed gang.

Highlighting the ongoing comprehensive judicial investigation, Tunc mentioned that nine of the suspects have been released under judicial control conditions.

Previously, on Monday, the Demiroren News Agency reported that Turkish security forces had detained 51 suspects in connection with the attack.

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