U.S. officials have identified the planner of the terror attacks at the Istanbul airport as a Russian-born Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) soldier, CNN reported Friday.
{mosads}Akhmed Chatayev, who is from Russia’s North Caucus region, oversaw the suicide bombings that killed 43 people at Turkey’s biggest airport, according to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Micheal McCaul (R-Texas).
Chatayev is apparently well-known among intelligence officials as an ISIS leader.
“He’s … probably the No. 1 enemy in the Northern Caucus region of Russia. He’s traveled to Syria on many occasions and became one of the top lieutenants for the minister of war for ISIS operations,” McCaul told CNN.
Forty-three people were killed and at least 230 injured on Monday when three suicide bombers attacked the airport.
The United Nations has said Chatayev directly commands 130 militants. This week’s suicide attackers were from Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
“We believe he coordinated with the three suicide bombers in Istanbul to conduct this attack during the season of Ramadan,” McCaul said.