Al-Qaeda’s Jabhat al-Nusra Caught with Sarin Gas inside Turkey

Turkish security forces found a 2-Kg cylinder with sarin gas after searching the homes of jihadist militants from al-Qaeda’s Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) who were previously detained, Turkish media reports. The gas was reportedly going to be used in a bomb.

The sarin gas was found in the homes of suspected Syrian Islamists detained in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersia following a search by Turkish police on Wednesday, reports say. The gas was allegedly going to be used to carry out an attack in the southern Turkish city of Adana.

On Monday, Turkish special anti-terror forces arrested 12 suspected members of the Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliated group which has been dubbed “the most aggressive and successful arm” of the “Syrian rebels”. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in December 2012.

Police also reportedly found a cache of weapons, documents and digital data which will be reviewed by police.

Following the searches, five of those detained were released following medical examinations at the Forensic Medicine Institution Adana. Seven suspects remain in custody. Turkish authorities are yet to comment on the arrests.