Istanbul police nab ISIL member responsible for bomb-making

ISTANBUL

The Istanbul police have apprehended an ISIL suspect identified as a bomb expert and responsible for training other members of the terrorist organization in explosives, Turkish security sources said on Oct. 6.

Following intelligence reports indicating the presence of ISIL-linked units within the city, the Istanbul police captured Rami H., a Syrian national, on Oct. 3, after extensive physical and technical surveillance.

The court sent the 34-year-old suspect to prison, concluding that he was engaged in activities associated with armed terrorist organizations operating in conflict zones and was reportedly in pursuit of executing attacks within Istanbul.

Rami H. played a role in the bomb-making processes within ISIL ranks and had traversed from the Qamishli region in northern Syria to Türkiye, according to sources.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to his crimes, and digital materials seized from him revealed video recordings instructing other terrorists on how to fabricate explosives and missiles using oxygen tanks and water pipes.

Authorities continue to investigate the suspect’s connections to networks operating within Türkiye.