ISTANBUL (CIHAN) - Four men, suspected of being members of Ansar Al Islam, were detained in coordinated anti-terror operations in Bursa and Istanbul today.
Police seized several remote-controlled bomb-making devices. It has been reported that the detainees were plotting to carry out suicide carbomb attacks against NATO leaders during the end-of-June Istanbul Summit.
The suspects confessed during interrogations that they were linked with the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and were plotting suicide attacks.
The suspects were discovered to have trained in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and were linked with the Northern Iraq-based Ansar Al Islam terrorist organization.
The four suspects were brought before Istanbul State Security Court following completion of their interrogations.
Yesterday, three people, suspected of being members of Ansar Al Islam, were detained in an anti-terrorist operation in Istanbul.
In another anti-terrorist operation in the province of Bursa relating to Ansar Al Islam, Turkish police foiled a bomb plot against the upcoming NATO Summit in Istanbul. Police had detained a total of 16 people suspected of planning to attack the NATO Summit and synagogues in Bursa.
Security across Turkey is under the spotlight in the run-up to the NATO Summit that will be held in Istanbul on June 28-29. Istanbul will be under air, sea and land security watch during the NATO summit.
A Turkish cell of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network carried out the deadly suicide attacks which targeted Jewish and British interests in Istanbul last November, killing 61 people and injuring over 750.