Explosion in Istanbul believed to be the work of a suicide bomber

UPDATE: A number  of individuals have been arrested in Turkey, following the latest explosion in Ankara, with three Russians arrested on suspicion of being involved and there is a suggestion that a fourth person, possibly not connected to this group has also been arrested on January 13, on suspicion of being linked with the suicide bomber.

Turkish police also detained 16 suspected Daesh terrorists in Ankara province on January 12, with police stating that a Turk and 15 Syrians were preparing a high-profile attack, and added that the group had been scrutinising public buildings as potential targets.

A court imprisoned the Turkish suspect identified by police as the group’s leader and ordered the others to be deported, which if they are potential terrorists appears to be a rather short sighted measure.

UPDATE: Latest information suggests that the suicide bomber who blew himself up in Istanbul has been identified as 28-year-old Saudi-born Nabil Fadli, according to Dogan News Agency, and that he had recently entered Turkey from Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu telephoned German Chancellor Angela Merkel to advise that the majority of dead and injured were German, although the government of Peru has announced that a Peruvian man and woman were also killed.

THERE was an explosion at around 9.30am Spanish time today, January 12, in the Sultanahmet square of Istanbul, which is a major tourist attraction near to the Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque.

Reports suggest that a suicide bomber was involved and that there have been at least 10 people killed and 15 injured, although Turkish police have sealed the area in case there is a second device and whilst bodies are being removed.

Whilst no organisation has claimed responsibility, Turkey has been the target of both Kurdish militants and Daesh with two bombings last year which killed a total of 130 people.