From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Turkish official says suspects in rabbi’s murder were arrested shortly after fleeing to Istanbul
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Turkey releases details of the operation to apprehend the suspects in the killing of Moldovan-Israeli Rabbi Tzvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates, saying it was conducted by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and the Turkish National Police.
Kogan, 28, who worked in the UAE for the Orthodox Jewish group Chabad, which seeks to support Jewish life for thousands of Jewish visitors and residents in the Gulf Arab state, vanished in Dubai, where he ran a kosher grocery store, last Thursday. His body was found in the Emirati city of Al Ain, which borders Oman, around 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Abu Dhabi, Israeli authorities announced early Sunday.
According to a senior Turkish official, once the UAE determined that the three Uzbek suspects had fled the country, they turned to Turkey for help.
“The Turkish intelligence determined the flight taken by the individuals and executed all subsequent steps with utmost secrecy to avoid raising suspicion,” says the official.
The suspects landed in Istanbul, according to the Turkish official, but police allowed the suspects to leave the terminal and take a taxi in order to reduce the potential for a fight. The police and MIT followed the vehicle, which eventually reached a police checkpoint. The suspects were taken into custody there, then deported to the UAE.
“The Republic of Türkiye remains steadfast in its efforts to prevent criminals from remaining within its borders as part of its broader counter-terrorism initiatives,” says the official.
