Police arrest suspect for planning January church attack in Istanbul

ISTANBUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police have apprehended a suspect believed to have orchestrated a January attack on a church in Istanbul, local media reported on Saturday.

The Ihlas News Agency said the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the General Directorate of Security conducted a joint operation in Istanbul to capture Viskhan Soltamatov, a suspected member of the Islamic State (IS).

According to the agency, Soltamatov was involved in planning the assault on the Santa Maria Italian Church and was responsible for supplying the weapon used.

The attack, which occurred on January 28 during prayer in the Sariyer district, resulted in the death of a Turkish citizen.

Intelligence and risk analyses by MIT revealed that Soltamatov was operating in Türkiye under the IS -- Khorasan Province, an IS affiliate based in Afghanistan. His nationality remains unclear.

Turkish police had previously arrested 31 suspects linked to the attack, and the investigation continues.

Türkiye has designated IS as a terrorist group since 2013, and the organization has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks in the country, prompting frequent operations against its members. ■