49 ISIL suspects detained in Istanbul for ‘preparing for referendum attacks’
ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency
The suspects, including 41 foreign nationals, were taken into custody during simultaneous raids in seven districts including Başakşehir, Beylikdüzü, Fatih, Esenyurt, Kartal, Küçükçekmece and Pendik, a security source said.
During the operation, police also seized three handguns -- two for firing blanks -- three cartridges, 16 rounds of ammunition, a radio, a machete, six electronic point-of-sale terminals, a large number of bank cards, military camouflage gear and around $341,000-worth of cash in three denominations.
More than 55 million Turkish citizens will vote on April 16 on proposed constitutional amendments, including on giving wide-ranging executive powers to the president and shifting the current parliamentary system to a executive presidency.