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Turkey Arrests Three Russians After Istanbul 'Isis' Attack That Killed 10 People

Three Russians Arrested After Istanbul 'Isis' Attack That Killed 10 People
Kathryn Snowdon

Three Russians with suspected links to Islamic State were arrested by police in Turkey after a suicide attack on Tuesday that killed 10 tourists.

SEE ALSO: Syria-Linked Suicide Bomber Behind Istanbul Blast That Killed 10

Russia's Consulate General in the Mediterranean city of Antalya confirmed that the trio had been detained, according to Russian state news agency RIA.

Police also seized documents and CDs during a search of the premises where the suspects were staying, Dogan News Agency said.

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10 people were killed by the suicide bomber attack in Istanbul, Turkey, on Tuesday

A suicide bomber, believed to have travelled from Syria to the Turkish city, killed nine German tourists and one Peruvian on Tuesday.

Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square, a major tourist draw, was targeted at 10.30am local time. Fifteen people were also hurt in the attack.

The explosion, which could be heard from several neighbourhoods, was at a park that is home to a landmark obelisk, some 25 meters (yards) from the historic Blue Mosque.

No one is yet to claim responsibility for the attack, although Turkish officials have told reporters that ISIS militants are behind the attack.

Islamist, leftist and Kurdish militants, who are battling Ankara in southeast Turkey, have all carried out attacks in the past.

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Istanbul Explosion
Suicide Bomb Blast Kills Several In Istanbul Square(01 of19)
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ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JANUARY 12: Emergency services attend the scene after an explosion in the central Istanbul Sultanahmet district on January 12, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. At least 10 people have been killed and 15 wounded in a suicide bombing near tourists in the central Istanbul historic Sultanahmet district, which is home to world-famous monuments including the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. Turkish President Erdogan has stated that the suicide bomber was of Syrian origin. (Photo by Elif Sogut/Getty Images) (credit:Stringer via Getty Images)
TURKEY-BLAST(02 of19)
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Tourists walk outside the Hagia Sofia as Turkish police block access to the nearby Blue Mosque area after a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet on January 12, 2016. At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OZAN KOSE via Getty Images)
TURKEY-BLAST(03 of19)
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Tourists walk outside the Hagia Sofia as Turkish police block access to the nearby Blue Mosque after a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet on January 12, 2016. At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OZAN KOSE via Getty Images)
TURKEY-BLAST(04 of19)
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Turkish police block access to the Blue Mosque area after a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet on January 12, 2016.At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OZAN KOSE via Getty Images)
TURKEY-BLAST(05 of19)
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A Turkish policeman stands guard as the Blue Mosque area is cordoned off after a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet on January 12, 2016.At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / OZAN KOSE (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:OZAN KOSE via Getty Images)
TURKEY-BLAST(06 of19)
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Municipal workers clean outside the Blue Mosque near the site of a blast in Istanbul's tourist hub of Sultanahmet on January 12, 2016.At least 10 people were killed and 15 wounded in a suspected terrorist attack in the main tourist hub of Turkey's largest city Istanbul, officials said. A powerful blast rocked the Sultanahmet neighbourhood which is home to Istanbul's biggest concentration of monuments and and is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every day. / AFP / BULENT KILIC (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)
Turkey Explosion(07 of19)
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A policeman gestures as he patrols with a colleague at the historic Sultanahmet district after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. An explosion in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists killed 10 people and injured 15 others Tuesday morning, the Istanbul governor's office said. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(08 of19)
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Backdropped by the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, partially seen top left, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, members of the media report at the area of an explosion, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The explosion killed several people and wounded 15 others Tuesday morning in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a Syria-linked suicide bomber is believed to be behind the attack. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(09 of19)
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Turkish police officers secure the area after an explosion, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The explosion killed several people and wounded 15 others Tuesday morning in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a Syria-linked suicide bomber is believed to be behind the attack. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(10 of19)
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EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT ** Turkish forensic police officers work at the site of an explosion, in the historic Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. A Syrian suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists Tuesday morning, killing a number people and most of them German tourists and wounding more than a dozen others, Turkish officials said. (AP Photo) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(11 of19)
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A policemen patrols at the Sultanahmet district after an explosion as the Blue Mosque is seen in the background in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The explosion in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists killed 10 people and injured 15 others Tuesday morning, the Istanbul governor's office said. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(12 of19)
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Policemen secure the historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, as ambulances arrive after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The Istanbul governor's office says the explosion at the city's historic Sultanahmet district has killed least 10 people. A statement says 15 other people were injured in blast. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(13 of19)
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Turkish security members stand near the city's landmark Sultan Ahmed Mosque or Blue Mosque after an explosion at Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The cause of the explosion, which could be heard from several neighborhoods, was not immediately known but TRT said the blast was likely caused by a suicide bomber. Government officials immediately convened for a security meeting, the state-run station said. (IHA via AP) TURKEY OUT (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(14 of19)
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Policemen investigate for evidence at the Sultanahmet district after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The explosion in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists killed 10 people and injured 15 others Tuesday morning, the Istanbul governor's office said. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(15 of19)
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Policemen secure the historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The Istanbul governor's office says the explosion at the city's historic Sultanahmet district has killed least 10 people. A statement says 15 other people were injured in blast. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(16 of19)
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Policemen install security barriers at the historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. Turkish media reports say several people have been injured in the explosion. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(17 of19)
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Policemen secure an area at the historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The private Dogan news agency says at least two people were hospitalized following an explosion in the historic center of Istanbul. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(18 of19)
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Policemen secure an area at the historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The private Dogan news agency says at least two people were hospitalized following an explosion in the historic center of Istanbul. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Turkey Explosion(19 of19)
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Policemen investigate for evidence at the Sultanahmet district after an explosion in Istanbul, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016. The explosion in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists killed 10 people and injured 15 others Tuesday morning, the Istanbul governor's office said. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "Today Istanbul was hit; Paris has been hit, Tunisia has been hit, Ankara has been hit before.

"International terrorism is once again showing its cruel and inhuman face."

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he offered his condolences to Merkel and vowed Turkey's fight against Islamic State - both at home and abroad in coalition with the US - would continue.

Turkey, which borders Syria, has become a target for ISIS. Two bombings last year were blamed on the radical Sunni Muslim group, in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border and in the capital Ankara, the latter killing more than 100 people.

No one is yet to claim responsibility for the attack, though Turkish officials have told reporters that Islamic State militants are behind the attack.

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