Turkey: 3 suspects held over links to Berlin attack

By Arif Yakici

ISTANBUL

Three suspects allegedly linked to Anis Amri, the slain perpetrator of last December’s deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin, were arrested at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, police confirmed on Monday.

The suspects -- Lebanese-origin German citizens identified as Muhammed Ali K., Yusuf D. and Bilal Yosef M. -- were arrested in an operation last week by Istanbul anti-terror police.

Police had acted after receiving intelligence that men would try to go to Europe.

Anis Amri was the main suspect in last December’s attack that killed 12 people and injured 56 others in central Berlin. The subject of a Europe-wide manhunt, Amri was later shot dead days later by Italian police in Milan.

Earlier today, a Jordanian-origin German citizen allegedly linked to Amri was remanded in custody to await trial by a Turkish court in the Aegean province of Izmir.

He was initially detained on charges of being a member of the Daesh terror group during an operation conducted by Izmir police on March 11. The German national is also accused of entering Turkey illegally as well as plotting attacks in Europe.