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Turkey Charges 7 Russian Citizens Over Istanbul Terror Plot

Darwinek / Wikicommons

Seven Russian nationals have appeared in a Turkish court charged with planning a terror attack in the city of Istanbul. 

The group stand accused of plotting multiple attacks using radio-controlled airplanes on behalf of the Islamic State (IS).

They were arrested in June 2016 while allegedly searching for suitable targets for their attacks, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported.

Law enforcement officials discovered the group in possession of two model airplanes capable of carrying between 17 and 50 kg of explosives, with bomb-making material believed to have been transported from a Turkish province bordering Syria.  One of the suspects is also accused of possessing the components needed to construct suicide vests. 

If found guilty, the defendants may spend up to 15 years in prison for belonging to an armed terrorist group.

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