Turkish authorities have identified the man allegedly behind Tuesday’s terror attack at an Istanbul airport.
Akhmed Chatayev, from Russia’s North Caucasus region, directed the three suicide bombers who killed 44 people at the Istanbul Atatürk Airport and wounded more than 200 others, Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, told CNN Friday.
Chatayev is a well known terrorist who serves in the Islamic State, within its war ministry. Though his current whereabouts are unknown, the United States added Chatayev — known as “Akhmed One-Arm” — to its lists of terrorists last year.
According to McCaul, Chatayev’s ties to terrorist activities are well-documented. He began his extremists activities as a Chechen rebel fighting the Russians in the mid-to-late 1990s, according to reports.
“He’s … probably the No. 1 enemy in the Northern Caucus region of Russia. He’s traveled to Syria on many occasions and became one of the top lieutenants for the minister of war for ISIS operations,” the Texas Republican told CNN.
The United Nations has said Chatayev directly commands 130 militants.
“We believe he coordinated with the three suicide bombers in Istanbul to conduct this attack during the season of Ramadan,” McCaul said.
Tuesday’s attackers have been identified as being from Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
