Video: Attempt to set fire to the "Hagia Sophia" mosque and the arrest of the suspect.
Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special
((Arab Sea)) Follow-ups: Turkish authorities have arrested a suspect believed to be behind an attempted arson inside the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, after he burned papers, which led to a fire in part of the mosque's carpet. Turkish police said on social media that the incident occurred on July 11, when the suspect was identified and arrested at the scene. After completing the initial investigations and legal procedures, the accused was referred to the competent judicial authorities, where a decision was issued to officially arrest him on July 13. The motive behind the accused's actions is not known exactly. A video taken by a surveillance camera showed a man trying to "set fire" to the historic Hagia Sophia Mosque in central Istanbul. [https://twitter.com/istanbul_EGM/status/1952677786105110964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1952677786105110964%7Ctwgr%5E4ab1d10d57597e9291e9d6f1b30f3fc4da0e5e60%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skynewsarabia.com%2Fvarieties%2F1812535-D981D98AD8AFD98AD988-D985D8ADD8A7D988D984D8A9-D8A7D995D8ADD8B1D8A7D982-D985D8B3D8ACD8AF-D8A7D993D98AD8A7-D8B5D988D981D98AD8A7-D8A7D984D982D8A8D8B6-D8A7D984D985D8B4D8AAD8A8D987](https://twitter.com/istanbul_EGM/status/1952677786105110964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1952677786105110964%7Ctwgr%5E4ab1d10d57597e9291e9d6f1b30f3fc4da0e5e60%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skynewsarabia.com%2Fvarieties%2F1812535-D981D98AD8AFD98AD988-D985D8ADD8A7D988D984D8A9-D8A7D995D8ADD8B1D8A7D982-D985D8B3D8ACD8AF-D8A7D993D98AD8A7-D8B5D988D981D98AD8A7-D8A7D984D982D8A8D8B6-D8A7D984D985D8B4D8AAD8A8D987) The rapid intervention helped prevent the fire from spreading from near a marble column and reaching flammable furnishings and curtains. The Hagia Sophia Mosque is one of the most prominent historical and religious landmarks in Istanbul, and one of the most famous sites in the world. It was initially built as a cathedral during the Byzantine era in 537 AD, then the Ottomans converted it into a mosque in 1453. In 1935, it was converted into a museum by a decision of the Turkish Republic, before being reopened as a mosque in July 2020 under a presidential decree.
