Istanbul: Turkish police apprehended a senior member of the Islamic State (IS), who was on the Interior Ministry’s list of most-wanted terrorist suspects, at Istanbul Airport on Wednesday, local media reported.
The suspect, identified as Ozgur Altun, was allegedly a high-ranking figure within the so-called Khorasan Province of the Islamic State, according to Demiroren news agency.
Authorities found that Altun held a managerial position within the group’s media outlets, coordinated visa and financial assistance for individuals seeking to join the organization, and oversaw access to cryptocurrency accounts used to finance IS activities.
He also reportedly played a key role in identifying domestic and international targets for terrorist attacks and encouraging such activities.
Altun was arrested by court order on charges of “establishing and leading an armed terrorist organization” and was subsequently sent to prison.
Türkiye designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013 and has since been targeted by the group in multiple attacks. In response, Ankara has launched numerous counter-terrorism operations both domestically and abroad.
