President Erdogan denounced the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo for “incit[ing] hatred and racism.” Shabazz Suleman, a British jihadist who was among some 180 Islamic State fighters turned over to the terrorist group in October in exchange for 46 Turkish hostages, claimed that while in a Turkish prison he and fellow fighters were allowed contact with the Islamic State. According to reports, the suicide bomber who carried out the Jan. 6 attack in Istanbul was Diana Ramazova, a Dagestani who had been married to Islamic State jihadist Abu Aluevitsj Edelbijev, a Norwegian of Chechen origin who died in Syria in December. An opposition party official claimed that the number of Islamic State sympathizers in Turkey has risen to 10,000, from 3,000 in August 2014. Şefik Çirkin, another opposition official, claimed that 12,000 Turkish citizens have joined the Islamic State, and said Turkish officials have not carried out any operations against Islamic State members or sympathizers in Turkey.
