Foreign Daesh terrorist sought with red notice by Interpol nabbed in northwestern Turkey


A Daesh terrorist listed with a red notice on Interpol's most wanted list has been captured in northwestern Turkey's Bursa province, media reports said Wednesday.

The Counterterrorism Branch of the Bursa Security Directorate and Intelligence Units arrested a terrorist woman identified as A.A.M., who had participated in Daesh's activities in Syria and illegally crossed the border in Turkey, in a raid on her home in Yıldırım district.

Reports said the terrorist was holding Danish citizenship and of Lebanese origin, and had been sought with a red notice by the Interpol.

A fake Danish passport was also seized in the terrorist's house.

The terrorist, who served a high-profile member in Iraq and Syria, took an active role in recruiting women from Western countries to the ranks of Daesh and had contacts with the terrorist organization's members in Turkey, reports added.

Meanwhile, some 14 foreign nationals with ties to the Daesh terrorist organization were captured in capital Ankara in simultaneous operations conducted by counterterrorism and intelligence units.

Since 2014, when Daesh launched its first attack on Turkish soil by killing police and military officers at a security checkpoint in central Turkey, security forces have been involved in a long-running campaign to rid Turkey of Daesh terrorists. The terrorist group is blamed for a string of terror attacks in the country that killed dozens of people over the past three years in Istanbul and Ankara as well as cities in the southeast.

Foreigners looking to join Daesh in Syria have mostly attempted to use Turkey as their crossing point. Turkey has taken significant measures against foreign Daesh members and has urged Western countries for intelligence cooperation. According to official figures, some 2,000 people were arrested and 7,000 others deported in operations against Daesh in Turkey, while around 70,000 people were denied entry to Turkey over their suspected links to the terrorist group. Security forces have also foiled at least 10 attack plots. Figures show that some 18,500 suspects are currently being monitored for their links to the terrorist group after being identified at airports upon arrival.