Another key al-Qaeda man thought responsible for activities in Turkey has been captured in Hatay in southeastern Turkey. Named Malek Charahili, he is thought to have succeeded the Syrian al-Qaeda militant Luai Sakka, who was captured on the verge of a suicide attack against Israeli cruise ships in Turkey. Sakka was sent to an F type prison in Kandira, sentenced to life imprisonment."F-type" as in "You're f**ked"?
A Tunisian national, Charahili has been living in Hatay for three years masquerading as an artisan. He reportedly helped with the transfer of insurgents to Iraq. The operation in Hatay was coordinated by the national security department, the National Intelligence Service, and the Hatay Security Directorate. Intelligence teams had been following Charahili for almost six months. The police tapped his phone calls and discovered his links at home and abroad. After a police investigation, special teams from the Hatay Security Directorate realized simultaneous raids on three different addresses. Bomb-making materials were found in CharahiliÂ’s house.