Eleven people have been detained in connection with yesterday's armed attack on a police post outside the building housing the Israeli Consulate in İstanbul’s Beşiktaş district.
Police detained six suspects in raids earlier today on identified addresses in İstanbul and Kocaeli, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
İstanbul police announced yesterday that three suspects had been detained in addition to two attackers were apprehended after beign wounded in the incident. Today's detentions bring the total number to 11.
The attack took place when three people opened fire on the police post outside the plaza building housing the consulate. Two officers were lightly wounded in the clash.
Authorities said procedures for eight suspects are continuing at the İstanbul Security Directorate, while the two wounded attackers will be taken to the police headquarters after their treatment is completed.
The consulate has largely been vacant for over two years with no Israeli diplomats present, according to statements from both Turkish and Israeli authorities.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the interior minister hinted that it might have been carried out by ISIS, describing the perpetrators as "the group that exploits the religion."
Investigation into social media posts
The Press Crimes Investigation Bureau of the prosecutor's offie launched an ex officio investigation on the grounds that “derogatory and mocking remarks were made against the Turkish Police Organization by the person/persons present at the scene” in a video shared by certain media outlets and on social media platforms.
The statement alleged that the phrases “You’re the right-back, I’m the left-back” were directed at the police, and that this constituted “a belittling of the seriousness of law enforcement and an attempt to discredit them in the eyes of the public.”
The statement noted that the incident was being evaluated under Article 301/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (“publicly insulting the state’s security forces”) and Article 216/1 (“inciting the public to hatred or hostility, or insulting them”), and that efforts to identify and apprehend the suspects had been initiated. (VC/VK)
