Turkish media reported Wednesday that authorities in Istanbul detained a French couple who were traveling with their three children on charges of membership with the terrorist group Daesh. The suspects, identified as R.M. and F.P. by their initials, were held at Sabiha Gökçen Airport on Istanbul's Asian side Tuesday.
French authorities alerted the Turkish police about the couple "with potential to join Daesh and other radical groups," media outlets said. The couple and their children were about to board a plane to France when they were captured. They will be deported after their interrogation. In a related development, police in the central province of Eskişehir detained 10 suspected members of Daesh yesterday. The suspects were Iraqi nationals.According to official figures, 350 foreigners are currently in detention or convicted for links to Daesh.
A suspected Daesh terrorist who was detained by Turkish authorities in late November for plotting to assassinate high-ranking officials was arrested Monday following a decision by an Istanbul court.
Turkey has been targeted by many deadly Daesh attacks since 2015. Ankara has deported more than 5,000 Daesh suspects and 3,290 foreign terrorists from 95 countries in recent years and has dismantled several terrorist cells that provided logistical assistance in Syria and Iraq and for plotting attacks inside the country.
