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Seven detained in Turkey

AP

AP

Seven people have been detained in connection with a suicide bombing at the heart of Istanbul’s historic district that killed 10 tourists, Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala says.

The bomber, identified as a member of Islamic State who entered Turkey as an asylum seeker from Syria, blew himself up on Tuesday among tourists visiting some of Istanbul’s most popular attractions.

Fifteen people, mostly foreigners, were also wounded in the attack.

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“The number of those detained in connection with Istanbul attack have reached seven. The investigation is underway in the most comprehensive way,” Mr Ala told reporters at an ambassadors’ conference in Ankara.

Turkey was quick to identify the bomber, named by Turkish media as 28-year old Saudi-born Nabil Fadli, the man who had given his fingerprints a week ago at an immigration centre.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said fragments of the bomber’s skull, face and nails at the site of the blast matched his records.

Turkey initially said it had arrested three Russians with links to the blast on Wednesday.

Russia’s foreign ministry said one of three Russian men was suspected of having links to Islamic State and that such extremists “feel comfortable” in Turkey. It named him as Aidar Suleimanov, born in 1984.

Russian news agencies said he was suspected of helping send new recruits from Russia to the militant group.

It was not clear if he was thought to have been directly involved in the Istanbul bombing.

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