Türkiye Foil ISIS Plot in Istanbul, Detain 115 Suspects

According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, arrest warrants had been issued for 137 suspects as part of the investigation. 

Police operations were conducted simultaneously at 124 different locations across the city. Authorities said that 22 suspects remain at large, and efforts to track them down are continuing.

Prosecutors stated that intelligence findings indicated the suspects were planning terrorist attacks during Christmas and New Year celebrations, with a focus on crowded public areas and non-Muslim targets, in order to spread fear and destabilize public order. 

The operation was launched after police intelligence units detected ISIS calls for action and concrete preparations for attacks during the holiday season.

During the raids, security forces seized firearms, including pistols, ammunition, and organizational documents linked to ISIS. 

Officials said the materials confirmed the suspects’ ties to the extremist group and supported allegations of active operational planning.

Some of the suspects are believed to have connections to conflict zones such as Syria, while others were wanted nationally or internationally on terrorism-related charges. 

The prosecutor’s office emphasized that the operation was preventive in nature and successfully stopped the planned attacks before they could be carried out.

The authorities confirmed that no attacks occurred as a result of the plot, crediting early intelligence gathering and coordinated police action. 

Türkiye has continued to conduct counterterrorism operations against ISIS networks, despite the group’s territorial defeat in 2019, as officials warn that sleeper cells and recruitment structures remain active. 

Turkish security forces have repeatedly stressed that major holidays and public events are periods of heightened risk.

Authorities said investigations are ongoing and that further arrests may follow as security forces pursue the remaining suspects.