Turkish police have confiscated six plastic explosives belonging to the PKK terrorist group from Istanbul's largest bus terminal. The explosives, weighing 5 kilograms, were shown to the media at Istanbul's Police Department building Thursday.
Four of the explosives were found in an aluminum box placed inside cigarette cartons and remotely controlled by mobile phones, while two were timer controlled.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu earlier Wednesday announced that two suspects tried to escape from the police during regular checks for COVID-19 measures. The duo was later nabbed around the July 15 Bus Terminal, Istanbul's main bus terminal.
Police teams launched an investigation in the area after discovering that one of the arrested suspects had left a bag under a roadside vehicle.
In the examination carried out by police teams, the six plastic explosives, ready for attack, were seized.
A third suspect was detained Wednesday night.
The last large-scale terrorist attack in Istanbul was executed by Daesh at the Reina nightclub in 2017, which killed 39 people and wounded 70.
Speaking at an event in the capital Ankara on March 18, Minister Soylu had said Turkey has foiled 26 attempted terrorist attacks and eliminated 121 PKK terrorists since January.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women and children.
