Three Russians Detained on Suspicion of ISIS Links After Istanbul Bombing

Asked whether Germany believes that the Islamic State group is responsible for the attack, he said it was “too early to engage in wild speculation”. But the man – identified by Turkish media as Saudi-born Nabil Fadli – was not on any militant watch list, Ala said. German tourism giant TUI said customers who had booked trips to Istanbul can switch destination without paying a penalty.

The Islamic State and other militant factions have waged similar attacks targeting tourist sites in other countries, including an armed siege of Tunisia’s renowned Bardo Museum last March that claimed more than 20 lives, many European visitors.

“This terror organization, the assailants and all of their connections will be found and they will receive the punishments they deserve”, said Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Russia’s Consul General Alexander Tolstopyatenko confirmed that three Russian citizens had been detained in Antalya, adding that the reasons were being clarified. The state-run Anadolu Agency said 59 people were detained on Tuesday. Fifteen people were also hurt in the attack.

One person was detained late on Tuesday as part of the investigation into the blast, Ala said, but gave no details.

Germany’s interior minister says there are no indications so far that Germans were specifically targeted in the attack in Istanbul.

Terrorist attacks are nothing new for Turkey, but Tuesday’s bloodshed marked a possible pivot point: the Islamic State apparently turning its focus towards the tourism sector in a country that draws around 40 million holidaymakers a year. It also sent a tanker aircraft, as well as a frigate to help protect a French aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean. One suspect was detained after the attack.

Top German and Turkish officials already were scheduled to meet in Berlin next week to discuss Europe’s migrant crisis. De Maiziere said those talks will now also address “the determined fight against terrorism”. “Germany and Turkey are becoming even closer”, he said.

The anti-terrorist raid occurred after Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Istanbul that killed at least 10 people and injured another 15. Ten other people were detained in Turkey’s third largest city, Izmir, and in the central city of Konya.

Hundreds of Russians, mostly from the country’s restive Caucasus region, have joined ISIS in Syria and Iraq; Russian authorities have estimated that as many 1,500 Russian citizens are fighting for the group there.

The Russian Foreign Ministry in November said 2,719 Russians had left for Syria to fight for ISIL.