Armed gunman takes tourists hostage

A gunman armed with an assault rifle entered a five-star hotel in the centre of Istanbul today and took several tourists hostage after firing shots in the air, reports said.

Police surrounded the hotel. There were no immediate details on the identity of the gunman.

The gunman, armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, ordered 15 tourists into the ballroom of the hotel, private CNN-Turk television reported. It was not clear if any of the hostages were injured during the hostage taking.

Outside the hotel, people were seen running in panic, apparently after hearing the gun shots.

CNN-Turk reported that the gunman was a Chechen.

In March 2001, Chechen rebels hijacked a Russian plane leaving Istanbul and diverted it to Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities stormed the plane, killing one hijacker and two of the hostages.

Some 25,000 Chechens live in Istanbul and western Turkey and Turks strongly sympathise with their fight against the Russians.