You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
The Grand Turk
35 people killed in armed attack on a night club in Istanbul, 40 injured
2017-01-01
Andalou doesn't have as much as Rudaw, much less Hurriyet, probably because of the gag order.
[RUDAW.NET] At least 35 people have been killed, including a police officer, and 40 injured in an armed attack on Istanbul's Reina night club, at Ortakoy area by the Bosphorus, just hours after the New Year celebrations, Istanbul's governor Vasip Sahin stated.

There was only one attacker involved, Sahin stated.

The Turkish CNN Turk earlier reported that there were two attackers reportedly dressed in Santa costumes.

Footage released by Turkish media show a number of Ambulances have been dispatched to the scene.

The state TRT World reported that Police special forces engaged in operation at the night club.

More from Hurriyet

Sahin said the attacker killed a police officer and a civilian at the gate of Reina by the Bosphorus, before entering inside and raving through the crowd celebrating the new year.

A news hound at the scene of the crime said live on CNNTurk that some 50 to 60 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene.

"The inglorious (attacker) raved through the place with Kalashnikovs. The U.S. intelligence warned over such an attack about one week or 10 days ago and measures have been taken, including the sea front. And look what has happened then," Mehmet Kocarslan told Hurriyet news hound Toygun Atilla adding that such an attack was coming, but could not be prevented.

Unconfirmed initial reports speculated that the attack was held by a person wearing Santa Claus costume.

Broadcasters also speculated that one attacker is still inside the club.

The governor did not respond to a question on whether the attacker was still inside or not.

Reina is one of the international night clubs in Istanbul frequented by the high-society, celebs, artists and football stars.

Some revelers had jumped into the water to escape the gunfire and were being rescued by police, NTV said.

According to a witness, there were up to 600 people in the night club.

Some 25,000 coppers have been on duty against a possible terror attack in Istanbul during the New Year's Day celebrations in the wake of consecutive kabooms across the country in 2016, which claimed hundreds of lives.

Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, Agent 49 felt gingerly for his head. It was still there. He had been hoping differently...
The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
's Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÃœK) also announced a gag order regarding the attack.

Terrorist caught on CCTV dressed as Father Christmas shoots 35 dead and wounds 40 in Istanbul celebrity nightclub as terrified New Year's Eve revellers dive into Bosphorus to survive
The Daily Mail updates regularly, so check the link to see what's new, dear Reader.
[DailyMail, of course].
  • The gunmen appear to be wearing Santa costumes in CCTV footage

  • The pair opened fire in the Reina nightclub, one of Istanbul's most popular venues

  • The city's governor said 35 people were killed in the New Year's Eve attack

  • A police officer is among the dead and one report said gunman was also dead

  • An estimated 17,000 police officers are on duty tonight in Istanbul

  • Nightclub owner Mehmet Kocarslan said security had been stepped up after US intelligence warnings

  • The celebrity haunt is popular with stars including Kevin Costner, Uma Thurman, Salma Hayek and Sting

  • The White House condemned the shooting as a 'horrific terrorist attack'
  • Posted by:Fred

    #13  And of course lone wolves tend to turn out to be known, connected wolves, Mugsy Glink.
    Posted by: trailing wife   2017-01-01 17:09  

    #12  A few yelled Akbars means it was a lone wolf attack.
    Posted by: Mugsy Glink   2017-01-01 11:32  

    #11  Buthe also said there was no truth to reports that the attacker wore a Santa Claus costume, despite the CCTV footage from inside the club.

    "What are you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes, Gulenist?"
    Posted by: Frank G   2017-01-01 11:24  

    #10  The latest from the Daily Mail as of 10:31 a.m. EST:

    Turkish police have launched a huge manhunt for the gunman who stormed a nightclub in Istanbul during New Year celebrations and killed 39 people before leaving his weapon behind.

    Already people in the city have started burying the dead, just 13 hours after the attack as per Muslim tradition which dictates people should be buried as soon as possible after their death.

    And Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has revealed that the gunman left his weapon inside the venue and escaped by 'taking advantage of the chaos' that ensued.

    But he also said there was no truth to reports that the attacker wore a Santa Claus costume, despite the CCTV footage from inside the club.
    Posted by: trailing wife   2017-01-01 11:01  

    #9  President Erdogan denounced attack calling it an 'attempt to destabilise Turkey'.

    What pissed him off the most is that's HIS job!
    Posted by: Rob Crawford   2017-01-01 10:31  

    #8   Will be hard to pin on the Kurds.


    Why do I hear Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, offering:
    "Would you believe a Kurdish, Gulenist, CIA, Zionist, ...Did I say Kurd?, PKK Plot!"
    Posted by: magpie   2017-01-01 09:30  

    #7  Was it a gay night club?


    {/sarc}
    Posted by: AlanC   2017-01-01 08:17  

    #6  Will be hard to pin on the Kurds.

    Just watch Recep.
    Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2017-01-01 07:39  

    #5  Ambassador Andrey Karlov will be unable to assist the investigation. I wouldn't discount a Chechnyan Santa Claus.
    Posted by: Besoeker   2017-01-01 07:21  

    #4  they are all de-balled

    Truly said, newc. And since the Turks have begun arresting those using social media, the latest addition as of 5:48 a.m. EST at the Daly Mail is

    President Erdogan denounced attack calling it an 'attempt to destabilise Turkey'.
    Posted by: trailing wife   2017-01-01 06:03  

    #3  "Andalou doesn't have as much as Rudaw, much less Hurriyet, probably because of the gag order."

    they are all de-balled. All broadcasts are of scenes already released and a broken record of news from 9 hours ago.
    Posted by: newc   2017-01-01 03:07  

    #2  Dead increased to 39, wounded to 69, according to the 1:19 a.m. EST update to the Daily Mail link in the post. A single gunman killed the policeman standing guard outside the nightclub before going inside, tossing a smoke bomb and shooting up the place. He paused once to reload. He is now being hunted.
    Posted by: trailing wife   2017-01-01 02:21  

    #1  Spoke Arabic according to reports.

    Will be hard to pin on the Kurds.
    Posted by: phil_b   2017-01-01 00:53  

    00:00