Turkey arrests 25 suspects over church shooting – minister

In Istanbul, Turkish authorities have officially arrested 25 suspects in connection with the shooting of a man during a church service last weekend, according to Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc on Friday.

Among the 25 suspects who have been detained, the two alleged gunmen, previously captured by the police, are believed to have ties to Islamic State, as stated by Tunc on the social media platform X.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya had previously mentioned that the two main suspects were foreign nationals, one from Tajikistan and the other Russian.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on Telegram, citing it as a response to the group’s leaders’ call to target Jews and Christians.

Tunc stated that the 25 suspects have been charged with membership of an illegal organization and aggravated intentional homicide, and another nine suspects have been released pending trial.

The attack occurred on Sunday morning at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul’s Sariyer district, resulting in the death of a Turkish citizen who was attending the service.

The victim had entered the church while out for a walk and had no political or religious affiliations, according to his cousin. Authorities have mentioned that the attack could have been more deadly if not for a jammed weapon.

Verified by Reuters, CCTV footage from inside the church showed the masked gunmen entering the building and shooting the man who was walking in front of them.

Islamic State has carried out numerous attacks across Turkey, including a nightclub in Istanbul on Jan. 1, 2017, in which 39 people were killed.

According to Yerlikaya, Turkish authorities have detained 2,086 people suspected of ties to Islamic State since June 2023.

(Reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)