Istanbul Court Formally Orders Arrest of New Year's Eve Nightclub Attacker

An Istanbul court on Saturday ruled to arrest Abdulkadir Masharipov, the Uzbek national who is believed to have shot dead 39 people at an Istanbul nightclub on the New Year's Eve, local media reported.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — According to the Daily Sabah newspaper, Masharipov was arrested on a number of charges including the attempt to disrupt constitutional order, first degree murder, membership of a terrorist group and unlawful possession of weapons.

Masharipov was detained by the Turkish security forces on January 16 in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul, after over two weeks on the run.

At least 39 people, including more than 20 foreigners, were shot dead from a Kalashnikov assault rifle, and almost 70 were injured as a result of the attack on Istanbul's Reina nightclub. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attack.