Turkish police have identified the alleged Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant who attacked a famous nightclub at the heart of Istanbul as Uzbek national Abdulkadir Masharipov.
The attacker arrived in Istanbul from the Central Anatolian province of Konya on Dec. 15, 2016, to stage the attack on Jan. 1.
According to recently obtained information, an ISIL cell in Konya that consists of Uzbeks continued to provide logistical support to Masharipov, whose code name is “Ebu Muhammed Horasani.”
The attacker still remains on the run after escaping the Reina nightclub despite a massive police presence amid worries of an attack targeting New Year’s celebrations.
Masharipov is accused of killing 39 people and wounding 65 others at the club, although some eyewitnesses have suggested there was more than one attacker.