Istanbul, July 24 () - A senior Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leader based in Istanbul was among those detained in a series of sweeping police operations.
Halis Bayancuk, a senior ISIL leader based in Istanbul, also known by his jihadi nickname “Abu Hanzala” was detained on July 24 along with his wife in an anti-terror police operation against ISIL-linked suspects in Istanbul.
Bayancuk and his wife were arrested as the police raided their home in Istanbul’s Bağcılar district and seized a number of ISIL-linked documents, both digital and non-digital.
He was reported to be the leader of an ISIL-linked group based in Istanbul, and was under arrest for a time last year following a police operation against al-Qaeda. Bayancuk also reportedly penned articles for several pro-ISIL media outlets and conducted militant recruiting activities.
Meanwhile, a court ruling has barred several pro-ISIL websites from publishing.
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