Two al-Qaida suspects nabbed in Istanbul
ISTANBUL

Turkish security forces have apprehended two individuals on suspicion of their involvement in activities related to the al-Qaida terrorist organization's operations in Türkiye, sources informed on Jan. 24.
Previously subject to legal proceedings, the police’s terror branch located two suspects in Istanbul, the sources said.
The suspects were residing in the basement of a five-story building in Avcılar, a district on the outskirts of Istanbul.
A raid was conducted at the address to apprehend the suspects on Jan. 21.
The suspects' communication records and their connections with other individuals have been thoroughly scrutinized.
The suspects had been fugitives in a case dating back to 2018. Among them, L.B. had been sentenced in absentia to more than nine years in prison on various charges, including membership in an armed terrorist organization, while S.B. was sentenced to over seven years for the same offense. Both suspects were jailed following their court appearance.
In October 2024, the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) captured Ahmet Baykara, a member of al-Qaida, in Africa. Baykara had been involved in planning and executing numerous terrorist attacks against Turkish Armed Forces. His attempt to flee to Africa was discovered after he became aware of being surveilled. Following intelligence and risk assessments conducted by MİT, Baykara was apprehended in an African country, marking a significant blow to al-Qaida’s operations.