Turkish authorities Wednesday probed how a militant extremist from Syria killed 10 mainly German tourists in a attack in the heart of Istanbul that raised alarm over security in the city.
The government said the attack was carried out by a 28-year-old Syrian man who was a member of ISIS and had recently entered Turkey from Syria.
The bomber, identified as Nabil Fadli, detonated his charge on Sultanahmet Square which is home to Turkey’s most visited historic sites including the Ottoman-era Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia church.
The explosion went off by the Obelisk of Theodosius, a monument from ancient Egypt that was re-erected by the Roman Emperor Theodosius and is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The bomber had entered Turkey as a refugee from Syria on Jan. 5.
He was then fingerprinted by the Turkish migration service, explaining why the authorities were able to identify the bomber so rapidly after the attack.