The Media Line: Turkey Detains 115 Suspected Islamic State Members Over Planned Christmas Attack 

Turkey Detains 115 Suspected Islamic State Members Over Planned Christmas Attack  

By The Media Line Staff  

Turkish security forces arrested 115 people in Istanbul as part of an operation targeting an alleged Islamic State (IS) network that authorities say was preparing attacks timed for Christmas and New Year celebrations, according to the city’s chief prosecutor’s office.  

The detentions followed intelligence indicating that the suspects were planning assaults during the holiday period, with a particular focus on non-Muslim targets, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement posted on X. Officials described the operation as a coordinated effort to disrupt imminent threats ahead of large public gatherings associated with the end-of-year festivities.  

Police units carried out simultaneous raids across Istanbul, searching a total of 124 locations in the early stages of the operation. Authorities said the sweep was aimed at 137 suspects believed to be connected to the alleged Islamic State cell. Of those, 115 were taken into custody, while efforts to locate the remaining individuals were ongoing.  

During the searches, officers seized several handguns along with ammunition, according to the statement. The confiscated weapons were presented as part of the evidence supporting claims that the group had moved beyond planning and posed a tangible security risk.  

The arrest comes amid recent reports of violence against non-Muslims in Turkey. Jews were attacked on Sunday on their way to the Neve Shalom synagogue on Hanukkah. The place of worship was the setting of a terror attack in 1986 that killed 22 people and was targeted by truck bombings in 2003.   

The father and son reportedly killed 15 people and wounded dozens in an attack on a Bondi Beach, Sydney Hanukkah celebration were said to have been inspired by IS and had the terror group’s flag in their possession. IS terrorists called the deadly attack a “source of pride.”