Twenty-four foreign nationals, including Azzov K. who is suspected of supplying explosives to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) members, were detained during an operation in İstanbul on Friday, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The operation was carried out by counterterrorism units of the İstanbul Police Department due to intelligence suggesting that ISIL members had been preparing for an attack.
Azzov K., a Syrian national, was detained together with 23 other foreigners at a restaurant in the Küçükcekmece district of Istanbul. Nine of the suspects were believed to be organizers, while 15 were on their way to Syria, Anadolu reported.