Turkey arrests 3 ISIL suspects, including Briton

ISTANBUL - Agence France-Presse

Police vehicle is seen in this file picture taken during an anti-terror operation in Istanbul. DHA Photo

Turkish authorities have arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group in Istanbul, including two Pakistanis and a Briton. 

Pakistani suspects had been detained last week in a raid on their homes in Istanbul’s central Mecidiyeköy district, the state-run Anadolu Agency said.

Police then expanded the operation based on intelligence the suspects provided and detained the British suspect, identified as Hasan H., at a bus stop in the conservative Fatih district, it added.

All have now been remanded in custody by a court. Hasan H. was believed to be linked to Aine Lesley Davis, a close associate of the notorious British ISIL militant known as “Jihadi John” who Washington believes was likely killed in a recent drone strike in Syria.

Davis, a London-born British Muslim who turned to Islamist militancy, was among ISIL suspects detained in November in Istanbul the same day as the Paris attacks, for allegedly planning to stage a parallel attack in Turkey’s largest city.

There has been no further information on Davis’ case since his detention.

Long criticized for not doing enough to stem the flow of jihadist fighters across its volatile border with Syria, Turkey has stepped up fight after a number of deadly attacks on Turkish soil blamed on ISIL, making almost daily arrests of would-be jihadists.

Earlier December the government said that over 2,700 jihadist suspects from 89 countries had been detained in Turkey and deported.