[Ynet] The terrorist who killed at least 39 and maimed 69 in Istanbul during New Year's Eve on Saturday has yet to be caught, with Turkish authorities in pursuit of the assailant. In the meantime, another video and photos of the supposed terrorist have surfaced. The video shows him breaking into the Reina nightclub where he opened fire, while the pictures appear to be of him at Istanbul Ataturk Airport.| Video and very clear screenshots of the alleged terrorist from Istanbul Atatürk Airport can be seen at the link. |
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she was eventually found to be at an Istanbul hospital. As she was uninsured, Israel's Interior Ministry funded the return of her body, which is expected to arrive in the country on Monday.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim issued a statement following the attack. In it, he denied initial reports that the terrorist had dressed up as Santa Claus to dissuade any suspicion as to his presence on New Year's, though reoprts from those injured stated that he did. Among them was Israeli Ruaa Mansour, who was flown back to Israel on Sunday.
Presently, no organization has grabbed credit for the attack.
Turkish Minister of the Interior Suleyman Soylu stated that out of the 20 victims who have already been identified, 15 are foreigners. He added that the assailant arrived at the club concealing his weapon, but left wearing a different outfit.
| The Mirror adds: |
| Grainy photo can be seen at the link. The Mirror's live updates page, with the latest plus all the details about each of the dead and all the national leaders expressing anger and condolences can be seen here. |
Turkish intelligence forces are said to be closing in on the unnamed suspect who allegedly 'screamed Allahu Akbar' as he shot at revellers celebrating the New Year inside Reina nightclub.
The man is described as being from East Turkestan, Afghanistan or Chechnya, but authorities still do not know his name or precise nationality.
| The Daily Mail adds: |
The lone gunman who slaughtered 39 revellers at Reina’s New Year’s Eve party was attacking not just Istanbul’s secular, sinful elite – but also the very idea that Turkey can be a modern, Westernised country.
What’s more, the attack struck at the heart of Turkey’s already beleaguered tourist industry, making a mockery of government claims that it can guarantee the security of its own citizens, let alone visitors.
In the run-up to New Year’s Eve, Istanbul authorities boasted that they would be deploying 17,000 security personnel to protect the city – yet a lone jihadi gunman was able to shoot his way into the city’s most exclusive and most secure nightclub.
The timing of this attack was symbolic. Last month posters appeared in conservative areas of Istanbul denouncing the celebration of Western festivities.
‘We are Muslims,’ read the banners, which featured a musclebound Muslim punching Father Christmas. ‘No to New Year’s Eve and Christmas celebrations.’
Though Turkey’s directorate of religious affairs was quick to condemn the attack, it exposes deep divisions in Turkey between a religious and conservative majority and the secular, Westernised elite.