4 detained in southern Turkey on suspicion of ISIL-linked terror

Anti-terror police in the southern city of Adana have detained four people suspected of having ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL.

Suspects, identified with only their initials, İ.Ö., M.O., C.K. and R.Y., were taken to the anti-terror division for interrogation. A great number of banned digital devices were also seized when police swooped down on the ISIL hideout.

This is the latest in a series of raids targeting ISIL across Turkey.But, there is no report saying the raids are linked to the twin bomb explosions for which officials point the finger at ISIL.

The incident which took place at a peace rally near the central train station in Ankara has left 62 dead and 246 others injured, with 48 of them in critical condition. The death toll later escalated up to 95 from 86 at around 11:30 p.m., said news reports. Officials fear the death toll may further rise dramatically.

Police sources in Adana believe sufficient intelligence is available to accuse the four detainees of attempting to use local collaborators in a potential

recruits for the terrorist organization fighting in Syria. Adana police department stated that ISIL has aimed to pose fresh threats against Turkey, using its four supporters in terror activities.

A man, said to be ISIL's the most senior official in Adana, was captured by the police the last week. The suspect, identified with the initials İ.Ç., has been reportedly accused of leasing flats in the city to foreign fighters from France, Italy, Germany, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, and helping them travel to ISIL's stronghold in Syria. When raiding on the ISIL hideout, police also discovered a list including names of those, who applied for membership of the organization.

Sunday, dozens were rounded up in nationwide raids targeting ISIL. In central Turkey, counter-terrorism police detained 14, including a woman, in Konya for being affiliated with the terrorist organization, which claimed the responsibility of the suicide bombing in Suruç in July. During the raid, police also confiscated documents containing ISIL propaganda.

In another operation targeting ISIL, 14 suspects were detained in the southeastern city of Şanlıurfa, near the Syrian border, but police did not disclose any specific allegations against suspects.

Seven, aged between 20 and 42, were taken by riot police in the western city of İzmir for ISIL-linked terrorism while simultaneous counterterror raids in Antalya led to the rounding up of eight suspects for allegedly having close ties with ISIL terrorists battling in Syria.