IS ‘Immortals’ plotted bombing at Turkish peace rally

TURKISH investigators were yesterday close to identifying one of two suicide bombers in the country’s deadliest attacks in years, the prime minister said, adding that the Islamic State group was the “No1 priority” of the investigation.

Family members mourn near the coffin of a victim of the twin bombings in Ankara, during the victims funeral in Istanbul. Picture: Getty

Ahmet Davutoglu also said in an interview with private NTV television that the evidence pointed to a “certain group” which he refused to identify.

The rally on Saturday was organised by Turkish and Kurdish activists to call for increased democracy and an end to the renewed fighting between Turkey’s security forces and the Kurdish rebels that has killed hundreds since July.

Yesterday, Yeni Safak, a newspaper close to the government, said authorities investigating the bombings were focusing on the Islamic State group, comparing DNA samples of the suspected bombers with those obtained from families of some 20 extremists they suspect could have carried out the attacks.

No one has claimed responsibility, but the attack bears similarities to a suicide bombing that killed 33 Turkish and Kurdish peace activists near the town of Suruc bordering Syria in July. The government blamed that attack on the Islamic State group.

The Hurriyet newspaper said the type of device and explosives used in Ankara were the same as those used in Suruc.

The government raised the death toll in the weekend attack to 97, including one Palestinian. A pro-Kurdish party has said that up to 128 people died. Several labour unions embarked on a two-day strike, starting yesterday, to denounce the attacks.

Davutoglu said Turkey had received intelligence that Kurdish rebels or Islamic State militants were planning suicide bombings and said two would-be bombers were detained before Saturday’s attack.

“There was general intelligence concerning a team called the ‘Immortals’ within Daesh (IS) making preparations, concerning preparations by the PKK,” Davutoglu said.

He said the attack aimed to influence the result of Turkey’s 1 November election and cast a shadow over the polls. He did not elaborate.

Davutoglu rejected opposition accusations that the attacks were a result of Turkey’s involvement in the conflict in Syria and that the government was dragging the country into the Middle Eastern quagmire.

“These attacks won’t turn Turkey into a Syria,” Davutoglu said.

Government opponents have also accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of fomenting violence to gain votes for the ruling party - an accusation the Turkish leader rejects.

Police detained nine more suspected Islamic State militants in raids in the southern cities of Adana and Kilis, officials said.