Turkey detains IS ‘executioner’ in police raids

ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities on Monday detained seven suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, including figures described as a senior leader and an “executioner,” the state-run Anatolia news agency said.

The seven suspects were detained during raids on addresses in the eastern region of Elazig. Large numbers of documents were also seized, it added.

Anatolia said that the suspected “executioner” — named only as F.S. — had carried out several killings in Syria on behalf of the group.

Over the last two years, IS has carried out execution-style killings in Syria of locals and foreign hostages as a warning and as part of its aggressive propaganda efforts.

The Dogan news agency said that the suspected jihadists had come from Syria to Elazig with the aim of attracting new recruits for the group.

No further details were given on the suspects.

Turkey was long accused by its Western partners of not doing enough against the threat of IS, even as it seized territory in Syria right up to the Turkish border.

Turkey always insisted it was making every effort to ensure security on the border.

But after several deadly attacks on Turkish soil blamed on jihadists, Ankara has noticeably stepped up a clampdown on jihadists inside the country.

According to figures published by Anatolia earlier this month, Turkey has placed under arrest 454 IS suspects, including 190 in the last four months alone.

Turkish armed forces have also launched near daily-artillery strikes on IS targets inside Syria after the border town of Kilis was repeatedly hit by deadly rocket fire.