Turkish security forces have detained two teenagers in Istanbul, one identified as a Turkmen national, on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks and communicating with members of the so‑called Islamic State (ISIS), Turkish press reported.
The arrests were carried out in two Istanbul districts after police discovered evidence of contact with ISIS operatives on encrypted messaging apps.
Authorities say a search of one suspect’s computer turned up files with instructions for making Molotov cocktails and explosives, materials on assembling long‑barreled weapons and shooting training, and a large volume of ISIS‑related propaganda and instructional videos. A court ordered that teenager held in custody.
The same reporting says a separate case in July involved a 14‑year‑old Turkmen national, identified by initials D.R., who was detained in the Maltepe district after allegedly being radicalized online. Investigators reportedly found “training materials” on bomb‑making, assassination techniques, videos on using drones and attack vehicles, and other instructions. The court placed that teenager under house arrest.
Turkish media cited broader figures showing intensified counter‑terror operations: 3,686 people suspected of links to ISIS have been detained in Turkey over the past nine months, with 784 formally arrested, the reporting states.
Earlier cases involving Central Asian nationals have also drawn attention. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Turkish police had detained a Tajik man (named in reporting as Faziljon A.) and a Kyrgyz woman (named as Zulfiya S.) on suspicion of planning attacks for ISIS; authorities said they found police uniforms, emergency lights, knives and other equipment in the apartment where the suspects were hiding.
