More details emerge in Eskişehir knife attack

ESKISEHIR

A young man who randomly stabbed five people in Eskişehir reportedly planned the attack with an eastern European friend he met online, according to media reports.

Arda Küçükyetim, 18, carried out the assault on Aug. 12, attacking citizens at a tea house in the garden of a mosque in the Tepebaşı district, as well as at a nearby park and tram stop.

The victims were aged between 57 and 87.

Küçükyetim, who broadcast the attack live using a camera attached to himself, was arrested shortly after the incident.

Initial investigations reveal that he planned the attack with an eastern European friend, whom he had met online, daily Milliyet has reported.

During the attack, Küçükyetim wore an assault vest, helmet and glasses. His clothing bore the "black sun" emblem, a symbol associated with neo-Nazis and far-right groups.

He was reportedly influenced by violent video games, which may have further shaped his actions.

The day before the attack, Küçükyetim shared a blog post describing the assault as a "lone wolf" act, intended to "motivate future generations."

In a 16-page manifesto published on Telegram, he praised individuals who had committed deadly hate crimes, referring to them as "saints."

The manifesto, which he titled the "mass cleaner handbook," included disturbing advice such as "start killing with your family first."

Eskişehir police discovered that Küçükyetim had purchased the equipment used in the attack online and had conducted reconnaissance of the area beforehand.

Investigators also found that he had searched for information on bomb-making and obtaining related materials on his computer.