- Title: Security tight at scene of Istanbul nightclub gun attack
- Date: 1st January 2017
- Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 1, 2017) (REUTERS) TURKISH FLAGS FLYING ABOVE ROAD/ARMED POLICE STOOD OUTSIDE THE REINA NIGHTCLUB FLOWERS AND CANDLES ON GROUND OUTSIDE CLUB/CLUB DOOR POLICE BARRIERS OUTSIDE CLUB ARMED POLICE MAN PATROLLING IN FRONT OF FOUR STATIONARY OFFICERS TWO POLICE CARS PARKED AT THE ROAD SIDE TRAFFIC PASSING BY NIGHTCLUB EMERGENCY VEHICLE PARKED CLOSE OF TURKISH FLAGS FLYING ABOVE ROAD SECURITY OUTSIDE CLUB
- Embargoed: 16th January 2017 17:26
- Keywords: Turkey Istanbul nightclub gun attack security
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVA0015X90YMF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Security was tight outside a nightclub on the shores of Istanbul's Bosphorus waterway on Sunday (January 1) after a gunman opened fire on New Year revellers at the party spot in the early hours of the morning, killing at least 39 people before he fled.
Some people jumped into the Bosphorus to save themselves after the attacker began shooting at random in the Reina nightclub just over an hour into the new year. Witnesses described diving under tables as the assailant walked around spraying bullets from an automatic rifle.
Officials spoke of a single attacker, a "lone wolf" in the parlance of Islamic State, but some reports citing witnesses including on social media suggested there may have been several.
Nationals of Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Lebanon, Libya, Israel, a Turkish-Belgian dual citizen and a Franco-Tunisian woman were among those killed, officials said. Saudi newspaper al-Riyadh said five of the dead were from Saudi Arabia.
France said three of its citizens were wounded.
A massive security operation unfolded to track down the fugitive assailant or assailants and any conspirators.
Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said 15 or 16 of those killed at Reina were foreigners but only 21 bodies had so far been identified. He told reporters 69 people were in hospital, four of them in critical condition.
The attack shook NATO member Turkey as it tries to recover from a failed July coup and a series of deadly bombings in cities including Istanbul and the capital Ankara, some blamed on Islamic State and others claimed by Kurdish militants.
Security services had been on alert across Europe for new year celebrations following an attack on a Christmas market in Berlin that killed 12 people. Only days ago, an online message from a pro-Islamic State group called for attacks by "lone wolves" on "celebrations, gatherings and clubs". - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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