Turkish intelligence arrests bombing suspect in Syria

A man has confessed to the coordination of a 2013 terror attack in Turkey that claimed the lives of 53 people after being arrested by Turkish intelligence yesterday.

Anadolu Agency reported that Yusuf Nazik, 34, confessed during his questioning to having received orders from Syrian intelligence to plan an attack in Turkey and having arranged the transport of explosives into the country.

On 11 May 2013 twin car bombs ripped through the southern border town of Reyhanli, causing dozens of casualties. At the time, Turkey accused a far-left extremist group loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad of carrying out the attacks; Damascus denied any involvement. The incident was believed to be retribution on the part of the regime for Turkey’s support for revolutionary factions in Syria.

Nazik was captured in the coastal city of Latakia by members of Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency (MIT) and repatriated to Turkey with the support of the Turkish armed forces, a security official said.

Nazik also reportedly gave out detailed information about Mihrac Ural, another suspect Turkey believes was also involved. Eight other individuals suspected of being behind the attack are still at large.

Read: Turkey warns attack on Syria’s Idlib would cause humanitarian disaster

In a video aired on state television, Nazik can be seen standing next to the Turkish flag and saying: “I was not able to escape from the Turkish state.”

He also warned Syria’s government that Turkey would “make you pay eventually”. There has been no immediate response from Syrian officials.

In February, a Turkish court sentenced nine out of 33 suspects to aggravated life imprisonment and 13 others with jail time ranging from 10 to 15 years for their part in the bomb blast.

Tensions between Turkey and the Assad government have remained high over the Syrian conflict, with Turkey backing several opposition groups and maintaining a military presence in the north of the country, conducting operations against Kurdish militia groups.

The Syrian regime considers all foreign presence on its territory an illegal occupation and has repeatedly called for external forces not loyal to the government to leave the country.

Read:  More than 30,000 displaced in Syria’s latest Idlib offensive