Turkish police arrested a man carrying explosives outside a
subway station in the largest city of Istanbul on Monday, thwarting
a possible suicide bomb attack, the semi-official Anatolia news
agency reported.
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said that it was certain that
the man, who was detained earlier in the day in Istanbul with
explosives, was planning to carry out an attack.
The 25-year-old detainee, who did not have a criminal record,
might be a member of a terrorist organization, said Guler, noting
that the man was trying to flee abroad when he was arrested.
However, the intended target was not definitely known yet, said
Guler, adding that another suspect was arrested after the
interrogation of the first detainee.
"The two detained men are now being questioned at the Anti-
Terror Department in Istanbul," said Guler.
Earlier on Monday, Turkish police arrested the man carrying 3.5
kg of A-4 explosives outside a subway station in the district of
Sisli, one of the most crowded areas in Istanbul.
The police also found a fake ID card and dozens of steel marbles
in his back pack. In the following search of the detainee's house,
which was located in Yenibosna district of Istanbul, the police
found more explosives and blast mechanisms.
More operations were carried out in different areas of the city
and several more individuals had been detained.
(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2007)
