Al-Qaeda members detained in Istanbul, planned to attack synagogues and churches

11 al-Qaeda members have been detained in Istanbul following a raid by Turkey’s special forces, reported Sabah newspaper on Thursday.

The terrorists reportedly planned to launch attacks on the U.S. embassy in Turkey in addition to a number of synagogues and churches in the country.

Some 22 kilograms of explosives, five guns and five handguns were seized from the detained terrorists.

A full investigation is yet to be launched.

February saw an attack take place against the U.S. embassy in Ankara. The explosion, which took place on Feb. 1, killed an embassy security guard and left one visitor injured.

The leader of the subversive operation, a member of the Marxist terrorist group Turkish People’s Liberation Party-Front, Ecevit Shanli was also killed.