Turkish authorities detained 25 Islamic State suspects in counterterrorism operation in Ankara

Turkish police detained 25 Daesh-linked foreign nationals, including a Finnish suspect in a joint counterterrorism operation with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in the capital Ankara on Monday.

The suspects reportedly had contacts with terrorists in conflict zones, reports said.

Twenty-four of them were identified as Iraqi nationals.

Police are searching for four other suspects as part of the operation.

The terrorist group has been trying to establish a new formation in Turkey after receiving a heavy blow in Iraq and Syria. According to testimony by terrorists detained in previous operations in Adana province, Daesh had been trying to kidnap judges, prosecutors and tourist groups as ransom in return for Daesh terrorists held in Iraq and Syria.

Turkey detained the so-called “Turkey emir” of Daesh, named Mahmut Özden, in August. He was planning to carry out an attack on Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and target politicians, nongovernmental organization (NGO) heads and other prominent figures in Turkey, according to the official investigation.

Turkey recognized Daesh as a terrorist group in 2013, and since then, the country has been attacked numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed assaults, which have killed 315 people and injured hundreds more.

In response, Turkey launched military and police operations both inside and outside the country, capturing top Daesh members in counterterrorism efforts at home and in Syria.

Turkish intelligence played a key role in the death of Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by detaining and extraditing one of his aides to Iraq, who provided U.S. authorities with critical information for locating him.

Source: Daily Sabah