Russian national identified as a suicide bomber in Istanbul airport attack

Turkish police have identified one of the suicide attackers in the bombing at Istanbul Atatürk International Airport that killed at least 41 people on Tuesday evening.

Osman Vadinov, a Russian citizen from Chechnya, was the first terrorist who blew himself up after opening fire with a Kalashnikov at the entrance of the airport.

Police said there were eight terrorists involved in the airport attack. Three of them were killed on the spot, one was detained and four others are being sought. The terrorists killed were Dagestan, Kirghiztan and Uzbekistan nationals.

Ahmet Chatayev, a Chechen terrorist, is thought to be the planner of the attack. Chatayev had been working for Dokko Umarov, founder of the Chechen Islamic Emirates. He joined Daesh in 2013 after the death of Umarov.

According to intelligence reports the terrorists prepared the attack in a rental house in Horhor Street of Istanbul's Aksaray neighborhood of Fatih district.

The three terrorists entered Turkey on May 25 and rented an apartment on a street near the Historia shopping mall.

Police found out from surveillance camera footage that the terrorists took a taxi from the shopping mall to reach the airport on the day of the attack.

A terrorist with a black coat drew the attention of a police officer, who asked him for his identity card . The terrorist opened fire on police officer Ahmet Berker. Police then opened fire on the terrorists, while one of them blew himself up and the others started firing with Kalashnikovs.

Police found two Kalashnikovs, two guns and improvised bombs at the scene.