Turkish authorities identify Istanbul nightclub attacker but refrain from naming him

World
Europe

The identity of the attacker who opened fire inside a nightclub in Istanbul as revelers were marking the new year killing 39 people and injuring scores has been established, Turkish authorities announced on Wednesday, without publicly naming the killer, who remains at large despite a nationwide manhunt.

"The identity of the person carrying out the attack in Ortakoy has been determined," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a televised interview with Anadolu news agency. He did not give further information.

On Monday, police released visuals ‍of the suspect taken in daylight in a selfie-style.

Turkish police released on January 2, 2017 a picture of the main suspect in the Reina nightclub rampage. / CFP Photo

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said the authorities were on the path to identifying the gunman after obtaining his fingerprints and receiving information about his basic appearance.

75 minutes into the new year, the attacker fatally shot a police officer and a civilian at the entrance to the upscale open air Reina nightclub on the banks of the Bosphorus waterway, before storming in and indiscriminately firing at partygoers.

Accounts from the scene said he fired as many as 120 bullets with an automatic rifle, aiming directly at the wounded, and setting off explosive devices.

Of the 39 dead, 27 were foreign citizens including nationals from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia, Morocco, Israel, Germany, Belgium and India.

Relatives and friends mourn during the funeral of husband and wife Mohamed Azzabi and Senda Nakaa who were victims of the Istanbul nightclub shooting on New Year's Eve, at a cemetery in La Marsa, near the capital Tunis, on January 3, 2017. /CFP Photo

ISIL has claimed responsibility of the attack, saying it was in revenge of Turkey’s military campaign in Syria, which was launched in August.

Local media have said that the gunman had traveled with his wife and two children so as not to raise suspicion, entering from Syria to Turkey and moving to the central city of Konya in November before heading to Istanbul.

The assailant was previously said to be from Kyrgyzstan, with a passport purportedly belonging to him making rounds online. However, the Kyrgyz authorities said the claims were unfounded after questioning the man to whom the passport belonged and whose features are similar to the assailant.

More arrests took place on Wednesday with police taking into custody 27 suspects in the western city of Izmir, according to Reuters.

At least 12 people were previously apprehended in connection with the attack, including two foreigners intercepted on Tuesday at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.

Ankara has extended its state of emergency, which was implemented after a failed coup in July, for another three months until at least mid-April.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent his condolences to Cavusoglu in the wake of the attack.

“China strongly condemns this attack and firmly opposes all forms of terrorism. We stand ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with the Turkish side and the international community to maintain peace and security of the region and beyond,” spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying noted on Tuesday.