ISTANBUL: Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced on Friday that 25 individuals have been formally detained by Turkish authorities in relation to the killing of a man that occurred during a church service in Istanbul last weekend.
According to Tunc on social networking platform X, two shooters who were previously apprehended by authorities and are thought to be connected to Daesh were among the 25 individuals who were placed under remand in custody.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya previously stated that the two primary suspects were foreign nationals, one from Tajikistan and the other Russian.
In a message posted on Telegram, Daesh took credit for the attack and said that it was carried out in response to a directive from the group’s leaders to attack Christians and Jews. Nine more suspects were freed pending trial, according to Tunc, who also stated that the 25 suspects were charged with aggravated intentional homicide and membership in an unlawful group.
The incident happened early Sunday morning at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in the Sariyer neighborhood of Istanbul. Targeted by the gunmen, one Turkish citizen lost his life while attending the service.
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