Islamic State recruit carried out Istanbul suicide blast, says Turkey

A Turkish Islamic State recruit, Mehmet Ozturk, carried out the suicide bombing that killed four foreigners on a major shopping artery in Istanbul.

Turkey’s interior minister has identified the Istanbul suicide bomber as a militant with links to the Islamic State group.

Security and forensic officials work at the explosion site in Istanbul. (AP Photo)

Minister Efkan Ala told reporters on Sunday that the bomber has been identified as Turkish citizen, Mehmet Ozturk, who was born in 1992 in Gaziantep province, which borders Syria.

He says five other suspects have been detained in the investigation.

Five people including the suicide bomber were killed on Saturday in an explosion that rocked Istanbul’s pedestrian Istiklal Street, which is lined with shops and cafes and popular with tourists and locals alike. The area is also home to government offices and foreign missions.