Al-Nusra helped Turkey capture border gate bombing suspects: Report

ANKARA

The Feb. 11 car bomb attack at the Cilvegözü border gate in the southern province of Hatay killed 14 people. AA photo

New details have emerged about the operation that led to the arrest of five suspects over a series of charges related to last month’s deadly bombing at the Cilvegözü border gate.

Turkish security forces have contacted the armed opposition in Syria, the Free Syrian Army, which controls ‘liberated zones’ to capture the suspects who have escaped to Syria. Their information was sent to al-Nusra Front and al-Faruk Brigades. Fatih Sultan Mehmet Brigade, which is controlling mountainous area in Latakia, a western province of Syria, also informed on the issue, according to Turkish daily Yeni Şafak. Al-Nusra Front has been blacklisted by Washington as a terrorist organization for its deadly suicide attacks.

In line with the information, members of Syrian opposition located the location of suspects in Selme area of Latakia and then notified Turkish authorities. A Turkish special operation team brought suspects to Turkey after crossing the border in a movie-like operation. Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç said operations were like a movie on March 11.

Operation paid $35,000

A suspect has also revealed that they were paid $35,000 for the operation, adding that they got orders from Ammid Havvas, a commander of the armored forces in the Syrian army.

“We choose Cilvegözü border gate for being the most important route for the humanitarian aid for the refugees who fled from [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad. Our purpose was to block the aid and put the blame on the opposition,” the suspect A.B., identified only by his initial, reportedly told to police, daily Radikal reported. He also admitted that they were making preparations for a second attack on the refugee camps in Öncüpınar town of Kilis.