Turkey Arrests Eight Suspected ISIS Members Posing as Refugees

Turkish police have detained eight people at Istanbul’s main Ataturk airport on suspicion of having links with Islamic State, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.

The suspects arrived Tuesday from Casablanca, Morocco and were posing as regular tourists, Anadolu reported.

“While a few of the detainees have been deported, others remain in custody pending their interrogation”, a senior Turkish official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to go on record.

Most recently, 41 Moroccans were denied entry to Turkey on November 9 and deported the same day after being flagged “terror suspects”.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel says he wants to amend the constitution to extend the length of time terror suspects can be held by police without charge.

A document seized by authorities – and circulating online – appears to show the route the group planned to take.

Local media said they were planning to sneak into Europe under the guise of being refugees.

The Turkish official said authorities were not immediately able to confirm the authenticity of the alleged travel itinerary as well as the claims that the suspects were attempting to enter Europe by disguising themselves as refugees. Around 300 have been formally charged.

“They are going like refugees”, he said.

The group claimed responsibility for Friday’s attacks on a rock concert, Parisian cafes and France’s national stadium that killed at least 129 people.