Turkish police detain 33 suspected IS militants in Istanbul

ISTANBUL, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) — Turkish police detained 33 suspected Islamic State (IS) militants in operations on Tuesday in Istanbul, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
The simultaneous operations, led by Istanbul’s anti-terrorism units, targeted multiple addresses across ten districts of the city.
The suspects are alleged to be raising money under the guise of religious donations to fund the establishment of “illegal mosques and religious schools” affiliated with IS and conduct illegal lessons and discussions related to jihad, according to Anadolu.
The legal processes for the 33 suspects in custody are ongoing at the police station, said the report.
The Turkish government designated IS as a terrorist organization in 2013, blaming it for a spate of deadly attacks in the country, including a January attack on a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul that killed one person. ■