Turkish police prevent ‘attack on refugees in Reyhanlı’

HATAY

Damaged buildings are demolished at Reyhanli in Hatay. AFP Photo

Police raided a group planning an attack on refugees in Reyhanlı, the southeastern town hit by a deadly twin car bomb attack on May 11, and arrested six people, Hatay Gov. Celalettin Lekesiz told journalists yesterday. At least 52 people were killed in the attack as 13 people, all Turkish citizens, remain under arrest, according to official data.

Lekesiz said yesterday that only Turkish nationals had been involved in the planned kidnappings and bombings at refugee shelters in Hatay, giving the initials of the arrested people. All resided in Hatay, he added.

Meanwhile, Turkish hacker group RedHack has leaked some documents reportedly belonging to the Gendarmerie Intelligence Department that claimed that an anti-regime group in Syria with links to al-Qaeda was planning a car bomb attack and this might take place in Turkey.

The hacker group released the documents after announcing on Twitter that they had seized secret documents belonging to the Gendarmerie Intelligence Department.

Turkish officials have announced that the Reyhanlı attack was linked to Syrian intelligence.