Police detain Russian-origin ISIL militant planning to down US plane with drone at air base in Turkey

ADANA

Police on Aug. 10 detained a Russian-citizen Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant, who was reportedly planning to down a U.S. plane stationed at the İncirlik air base in the southern province of Adana with a drone before staging an attack on an Alevi association. 

Anti-terror police staged the operation after receiving intelligence that an alleged ISIL militant, Renat Bakıev, was scouting around the province to stage attacks at the İncirlik air base and an Alevi association on behalf of the jihadist group.

Police followed the militant and found that he was scouting around the Alevi association on the city’s January 5 Square with a bicycle.

They later took action after determining that Bakıev was also planning to stage an attack targeting U.S. soldiers at the İncirlik air base, as well as downing a U.S. plane at the base using a drone.

He was detained while he was near the Alevi association during the police operation.

In his testimony, Bakıev reportedly admitted his allegiance to the jihadist group, saying Alevis are “the enemies of God” and should be killed.

He also reportedly said they had previously planned to stage an attack on U.S. soldiers in Syria but failed.

Bakıev told police that he was in the province to stage attacks on behalf of ISIL and he was scouting around the air base in order to shoot down a plane belonging to the U.S. with a drone.

The ISIL militant was later referred to court after his proceedings at the police headquarters.

Bakıev had previously been sought on charges of being a member of an armed terror organization, and also reportedly demanded 2,800 Turkish Liras from other ISIL militants communicating via the Telegram messagging application to buy a drone.