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Turkey arrests suspected IS militant over planned U.S. consulate attack -Dogan


    ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities arrested a suspected Islamic State militant on Tuesday for allegedly planning a suicide attack on the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, Dogan news agency said.

    The suspected militant was of Syrian origin and was detained in Kahramanmaras, a province near the Syrian border, Dogan said.

    Turkey has been on high alert after more than 100 people were killed by two suicide bombers in the capital Ankara in October.

    A similar attack at a town near the Syrian border in July left 33 dead.

    Last week, the consulate cancelled its services or a day, citing information about a possible security threat.

    This week, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara said it would scale back its services on Monday and Tuesday due to a possible security threat.

    Turkey, a NATO member, has carried out air strikes against Islamist insurgents in neighbouring Syria as part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the militant movement.

    (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Hugh Lawson)