Nightclub killer took orders from ISIL

Gunman forced to move massacre site from Taksim

ISTANBUL // The Istanbul nightclub killer has claimed he received the order to attack from ISIL in Syria.

Turkish authorities on Monday detained Abdulgadir Masharipov, 34, who spent 17 days on the run after the attack.

They also arrested an Iraqi man and three women from Egypt, Senegal and Somalia.

ISIL said the massacre was carried out by one of its militants.

Masharipov told police that, using the code name Ebu Muhammed Horasani, he entered Turkey through Iran in January last year and moved to the central city of Konya.

“When I was in Konya, an order came from Raqqa for me to carry out an attack in Taksim” Square in Istanbul, he told Turkish police.

He moved to Istanbul on December 16 and scouted out a suitable place to attack.

“I arrived at Taksim on New Year’s Eve but there were very intensive security measures. It was not possible to carry out an attack,” Masharipov said.

“I explained the situation to the person who gave me the order and told him that Reina was suitable. “He agreed and asked me to carry out the attack at Reina.”

After getting the green light from Syria, the gunman said he took a taxi to Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu neighbourhood, picked up the weapon from home and went back to attack the night club.