Istanbul attack: police release suspect photo

  • 02/01/2017

Turkish police have released a grainy photograph of a male suspect they would like to question in relation to the attack at an Istanbul nightclub in the early hours of New Year's Day.

Istanbul attack: police release suspect photo

The attacker, who shot dead 39 people and injured 70 more, is still on the run and there is a very real fear he could strike again.

Police have not released any further details about the man's identity, only the pixelated photo of the man they believe is responsible.

Eyewitnesses say the attacker spoke in Arabic, shifting suspicion away from Kurdish militants... and onto Islamic State.

Just moments earlier there were cheers inside the Reina night club as the clock struck midnight 

But outside CCTV shows a gunman firing shots outside the nightclub - a policeman and nightclub doormen were killed. 

And inside the gunman is captured on cameras walking through the carnage after spraying the packed room with bullets.

The Reina nightclub - one of Istanbul's most exclusive, popular with expats and tourists sits on the banks on the river Bosporus - in desperation last night people jumped in the water to escape. 

Turkey's Prime Minister has denied that the Istanbul nightclub gunman wore a Father Christmas outfit during the attack.

"There is no truth to this. He is an armed terrorist as we know," Binali Yildirim said on Sunday.

"He left his gun at the crime scene and fled, taking advantage of the chaos. Police forces are working on the case.

The Prime Minister visited one of ten hospitals caring for the injured.

While some of the people who died are still to be identified - most of them are said to be foreign nationals. 

ITV / Newshub.