Turkish police stopped a big terror plan. The plan was meant to harm holiday celebrations. This week, police raided many places in Istanbul. They arrested 115 people. These people are thought to be part of the Islamic State (IS). They were getting ready to attack ordinary people. The arrests happened just before Christmas and New Year.
These police actions were very big. They searched 124 places in Istanbul. Police say the arrested people talked to IS members outside Turkey. Police found many guns, bullets, and important papers. This evidence will help police understand the group better. It will show how they work and who they know.
Turkish intelligence also made an arrest before the Istanbul raids. They caught a Turkish man near Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is said to be an important IS leader there. He is accused of planning attacks on civilians. This shows the danger from this group is very wide.
The goal of these attacks was to scare people. They wanted to cause problems for non-Muslim communities during holidays. Turkey is close to Syria. It knows IS is still a threat. The government has been fighting IS for years. They want to stop attacks in Turkey.
115 people are in jail now. Police are looking for 22 more people. They think these people are also part of the plan. The prosecutor's office in Istanbul is leading the case. The evidence will be used for charges later. This action stopped a tragedy. It shows police are working hard to keep everyone safe.