Turkey detains nearly 150 over alleged ISIS links after Moscow terror attack

Turkish authorities have detained nearly 150 suspected Islamic State militants in nationwide raids after the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall near the Russian capital city of Moscow on Friday (March 22) following reports that two of the alleged perpetrators entered Russia from Istanbul.

About the nationwide raids

The nationwide simultaneous raids were conducted in 30 cities, where the Turkish authorities detained 147 people with alleged links to the Islamic State group, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in a social media post, on Tuesday (Mar 26).

The Turkish official added that a “large amount” of foreign currency, organisational documents and digital material were confiscated during these raids.

Also Read |Putin repeats Islamist, Ukraine link with Moscow concert attack

The recent announcement also comes after Yerlikaya, on Sunday (Mar 24), said that Turkish officials detained 40 suspected ISIS militants across provinces in coordinated raids in recent days, reported Al-Monitor.

Two Moscow attack suspects travelled from Istanbul

Russian authorities detained 11 people in connection with the terrorist attack on Friday, which claimed the lives of at least 139 people. Two of those detained, Tajik nationals Rachabalizoda Saidakrami and Shamsidin Fariduni, reportedly travelled from Turkey.

The two “were able to travel freely between Russia and Turkey since there was no warrant for their arrest,” a Turkish official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

According to the report, the duo had spent time in Turkey shortly before the attack and entered Russia together on the same flight from Istanbul.

Fariduni, according to Turkish officials, entered Turkey on February 20 and returned to Russia via Istanbul airport on March 2.

This was after Fariduni, during the initial questioning admitted that he had to travel to Turkey because his visa in Russia had expired, the Turkish official told AFP.

Also Read |Moscow concert hall attack: More than one ISIS branch likely involved in rampage, says report

Meanwhile, Saidakrami reportedly arrived in Istanbul on January 5 and returned to Moscow on March 2.

“We assess that both individuals became radicalised in Russia given the short amount of time they spent in Turkey,” the Turkish official told the news agency.

The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic State which also published graphic videos of the gunmen inside the venue.

However, it was not until Monday (Mar 25) that Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that “radical Islamists” were behind the attack, but continued to assert that they were linked to Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)