ISIL suspect refuses to testify in court as Turkish police nab militants

Musa Kesler - ISTANBUL

A Turkish man suspected to be an ISIL member has refused to testify in court in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri, while the police detained 12 other suspects in the western province of Bursa, including two women sought internationally.

“You are taghut [an Arabic term denoting a focus of worship other than Allah],” Murat Yerlikaya told the judge in Kayseri on Jan. 2 when he refused to testify.

Yerlikaya was detained alongside Moroccan citizen Nadia Nasyf on suspicion of plotting a terror attack at New Year celebrations in Kayseri.

The judge ordered arrest for Yerlikaya, while releasing Nasyf.

In a separate case, Turkish police raided multiple addresses in Bursa on Jan. 2, detaining a total of 12 people.

According to local media reports, two female suspects were sought by French police with Interpol warrants on suspicion of links to ISIL.

One of the suspects was arrested on Jan. 2 and five others are expected to be deported. The criminal procedure is going ahead for the rest.