Main suspect in Istanbul's Rina club murder arrested
Turkish media reports that the main suspect in the Istanbul New Year's Eve massacre has been arrested.
Abdulkadir Masharipov is believed to have been the perpetrator of the attack on the Reina nightclub that left 39 dead.
The Uzbek citizen was apparently arrested in the Esenyurt neighborhood of Istanbul.
Citizens from Israel, France, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, Belgium, Jordan and Saudi Arabia were among the victims of that attack. Dozens were also injured.
The group known as the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was taking revenge for Türkiye's military intervention in Syria.
The armed attacker arrived at the venue after midnight on Saturday by taxi and then entered the club through the main door with a long-barreled weapon he had taken from the trunk of a car.
He shot indiscriminately at those present.
Turkish channel NTV reports that police arrested the suspect at the home of his friend, who is from Kyrgyzstan, in Istanbul.
Police reportedly found the suspect in the house with his 4-year-old son. The homeowner and three women are also said to be among those arrested.
According to the Hurriyet newspaper, he was supposed to receive medical attention before the interrogation began.
Police have released a photo of a man in a bloody T-shirt with wounds on his face.
BBC's Mark Lowen in Istanbul: Breathe easy
The arrest was the culmination of a massive manhunt: a raid in the Esenyurt neighborhood of Istanbul that ultimately led to the arrest of the alleged attacker of Reina.
There were concerns that the attacker had managed to escape from Türkiye and may have gone to an area controlled by ISIS.
With his arrest, Turkish authorities will breathe a sigh of relief. But the much bigger challenge for them will be ensuring security in the country and intensifying intelligence operations to prevent the wave of terrorist attacks that has gripped the country.
Turkish media reports that the suspect was living with a woman, who is believed to be his wife, and two children in a rented apartment in the city of Konya.
The Hurriyet newspaper, citing informed sources, wrote that he had arrived in Istanbul on December 15.
Türkiye is engaged in operations against ISIS in northern Syria and is simultaneously trying to force the Kurds to withdraw from the area.
The Reina Club was one of the most famous in Istanbul, overlooking the Bosphorus Strait.
The club attracted singers, film and television actors, and sports stars, as well as foreign tourists.
Attacks attributed to ISIS in Türkiye
August 20, 2016: A bombing at a wedding party in Gaziantep kills at least 30 people.
June 28, 2016: Bombing and gun attack at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul leaves 41 dead
March 19, 2016: A suicide bombing kills four people on a shopping street in Istanbul.
January 12, 2015: 12 Germans killed in ISIS bombing in a tourist area of Istanbul
October 10, 2015: More than 100 people were killed during a peace march in front of Ankara train station.
July 20, 2015: 34 people were killed in a bombing in Suruc, near the Syrian border.
Source: BBC
