Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Turkish authorities have detained a man who apparently left an explosive device on the central pedestrian street of Istanbul. This was announced on Monday, 14 November, by the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country, Suleiman Soylu.
“The man who left the bomb in Beyoglu was detained by the Istanbul Security Department. He is under interrogation,” the statement says.
It is also noted that the evidence collected by Turkish investigators indicates the involvement of Syrian groups recognized as terrorist by Ankara in organizing the attack.
On the eve of the Turkish Ministry of Justice put forward a possible version of the events in Istanbul: the bomb could have been brought in a bag or package, after which it exploded on its own, or it was activated remotely.
The explosion took place on Istiklal pedestrian street, one of the city’s most popular tourist spots. According to available information, six people died - four on the spot and two after hospitalization, and 81 people were also injured. Among the victims are an employee of the Turkish Ministry of Family Affairs and Social Services and his daughter.
The authorities regard the explosion on one of the central pedestrian streets of Istanbul as a terrorist attack. Thus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the incident "has signs of terrorism." The investigation believes that the crime was committed by a woman who activated the bomb.
The photo of the suspect was shown by the Turkish ODA TV channel. In the picture, she is wearing a black hijab, dark clothes and khaki pants. According to the channel, an unknown person could have left a package with a bomb on the street.
A criminal case has been initiated into the incident. A group of five prosecutors has been appointed to investigate the incident. At the moment, law enforcement officers are interrogating witnesses and studying records from surveillance cameras.