Turkey nabs 115 suspected ISIS members allegedly plotting Christmas attacks

Authorities say terror group issued call to action against non-Muslims during festivities; police seize weapons in raids at 124 locations

Officers from the Istanbul Police Counterterrorism Department launched simultaneous raids on Thursday at 124 locations and detained over a hundred suspected members of the Islamic State group who were allegedly planning terror attacks against Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that authorities received information that the extremist organization had issued a call to action, particularly against non-Muslims during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

The prosecutor’s office issued warrants for 137 suspects, of whom 115 were detained. Officers also seized many firearms, cartridges, and organizational documents during the raids.

The police’s counter-terrorism operation is still ongoing.

Turkey shares a 900-kilometer (559-mile) border with Syria, where jihadist groups are still active. Since the 2019 collapse of the self-proclaimed “caliphate,” some suspected ISIS members have settled in Turkey.

Washington recently blamed a lone ISIS gunman for an attack in Palmyra, Syria, on December 13 in which two US soldiers and an American civilian died.

This week, Turkey’s intelligence agency also conducted an operation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, capturing a Turkish national who it said held a senior role in the ISIS group.

At the time of his arrest, Mehmet Goren, since transferred to Turkey, was accused of organizing suicide attacks targeting civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and Europe.

Turkey has been hit by several major attacks claimed by IS, including an attack on a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul during a Sunday Mass in January 2024, and a nightclub shooting in 2017 that killed dozens of people.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.