UPDATE 5 - Turkish police nab suspects in deadly church attack: Interior minister

UPDATES WITH REVISED HEADLINE, ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SUSPECTS CAUGHT

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish security forces have apprehended suspects in a shooting attack at a Catholic church in Istanbul earlier Sunday that left one person dead, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Sunday.

"Two murder suspects who caused the death of our citizen Tuncer Cihan during the Sunday mass at Sariyer’s Santa Maria Church have been caught," he told reporters.

"I congratulate our Istanbul police and heroic police officers who identified and caught the perpetrators. I once again express my condolences to the family and relatives of our citizen who lost his life," he added.

Two gunmen on Sunday opened fire on worshippers at the church in Istanbul's Sariyer district, killing one, officials said earlier.

Condemning the “heinous attack,” Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told reporters that the victim of Sunday’s attack was 52 years old, and that no one was injured.

Yerlikaya earlier said the incident took place at 11:40 a.m. local time (0840GMT), during morning mass, at the Santa Maria Church in the Buyukdere neighborhood.

“A large-scale investigation” is underway to catch the suspects, Yerlikaya said on X, adding: “We strongly condemn this heinous attack.”

The reasons for the attack are unknown.

Yerlikaya told reporters that police were working hard to solve the crime.

Explaining that there are many places of worship in Istanbul, and that worship is carried out freely in each of them in a peaceful and safe environment, Yerlikaya said all of Türkiye’s faith communities appreciate this secure environment.

"Those who try to disrupt the unity and solidarity of our nation will never succeed. I want to especially underline this,” he said.

“Those who threaten the peace and safety of our citizens will never achieve their goals,” Türkiye’s Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesperson Omer Celik also said in a brief statement on X.

- Turkish president pledges action in wake of attack

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also conveyed his condolences and get-well wishes to the congregation over the attack, adding that necessary steps are being taken to apprehend the perpetrators as soon as possible.

On X, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said Erdogan spoke on the phone with Father Anton Bulai, who serves at the church, as well as with Sariyer District Governor Omer Kalayli and Witold Lesniak, Poland’s consul general in Istanbul, who was reportedly at the church around the time of the attack.

"Our esteemed President, who conveyed condolences and get-well wishes to the entire congregation, said that necessary steps are being taken to apprehend the perpetrators as soon as possible,” Altun said.

Altun also shared video of the calls, with Erdogan conveying his sympathies to Father Bulai, saying: "Our law enforcement is currently mobilized with all its capabilities. I believe that the perpetrator will be apprehended shortly."

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus called the assault "despicable" and also offered condolences to the victim's family.

Ali Erbas, the head of Türkiye’s Religious Affairs Directorate, denounced the "heinous attack" and extended condolences to the victim's family.

Erbas visited the church and told reporters: "I would like to stress that differences are our richness. Places of worship, especially during worship, have complete inviolability. According to our belief, mosques, churches, and synagogues are inviolable, regardless of which faith they are a place of worship for.”

He added: “As a state and a nation, we will always preserve our unity and solidarity. The coexistence of people of different beliefs is a very important richness for us."

- Greek Orthodox patriarch offers condolences

Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos also expressed his condolences to the spiritual leader of the Latin Catholic community, Massimiliano Palinuro, over the attack.

Bartholomeos, who is based in Istanbul, telephoned Palinuro and expressed his condolences to the family of the person who lost his life in the armed attack at the church and to the Catholic community.

Expressing his belief that the authorities will do what is necessary to shed light on this tragic incident, Bartholomeos said social peace and the harmonious coexistence of religious communities is an indelible characteristic of Türkiye.

*Writing by Merve Berker, Seda Sevencan​​​​​​​​​​​​​​, and Emre Basaran​​​​​​​