Two Islamic State suspects arrested over New Year's Eve plot in Ankara

Turkish police suspect militants planned New Year’s Eve attacks

Turkish police have detained two suspected Islamic State (IS) militants who were believed to be planning suicide attacks during new year celebrations in central Ankara.

The men were detained in a raid on a house in the Mamak neighbourhood of Ankara, where police seized a suicide vest armed with a bomb and an explosive device that was fortified with ball bearings and metal sticks that had been placed inside a backpack.

Police also seized bomb-making equipment, according to the Ankara chief prosecutor’s office.

The two Turkish nationals, identified by their initials MC and AY, did not put up a fight during the raid and are now being questioned by anti-terrorism police. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the first suspect is 28 and the other is 40.

The prosecutor’s office said the men had staked out possible locations in Ankara where they could carry out the attacks.

Anadolu said the would-be attackers were planning to detonate the bombs near bars and a shopping centre near Turkey’s central Kizilay district.

“They were caught before they had the opportunity to take action,” the prosecutor’s office said.

A police statement said the first suspect had illegally crossed into “war zones” to join the IS group. It did not provide details.

He was said to hold Turkey responsible for the deaths of his brother and uncle, who died fighting for the extremist group and planned the attack to avenge their deaths.

Anadolu said both men had taken part in fighting in Syria.

The private NTV news channel said the two had “frequently” moved in and out of Syria and that officials had been monitoring their movements for a month.

In October, two suicide bombers detonated bombs outside Ankara’s main train station as people gathered for a peace rally.

The attack killed more than 100 people and was Turkey’s deadliest.

The prosecutor’s office said the attack was carried out by a local cell of IS.

Two people arrested in Turkey over alleged plot to attack Ankara on New Year's Eve: https://t.co/VAXicgdI0I pic.twitter.com/UTNteitAbj

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More than 30 people were also killed in a IS suicide attack in the town of Suruc, near Turkey’s border with Syria, in July.

Earlier this year, Turkey agreed to take a more active role in the US-led battle against the IS group.

Turkey opened its bases to US aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and has carried out a limited number of strikes on the group itself.

It has also moved to tighten security along its 900km border with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants.

Meanwhile, Belgian capital Brussels has cancelled tonight’s New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration for fear of a terrorist attack.