Turkey released Thursday the identities of two suicide bombers who attacked a peace rally in Ankara last week, saying both men have links to the Islamic State group.
But now, state prosecutors are enforcing a blanket ban on any further media coverage of the bombings, which killed nearly 100 people.
Quoting police officials, Turkish media said one of Saturday’s bombers is the brother of a suicide bomber who killed 33 pro-Kurdish activists in the Turkish town of Suruc, near the Syrian border, in July.
Turkish security forces blamed that attack on the Islamic State group, although there was no claim of responsibility.
The second attacker was on a police list of suspected Islamic State suicide bombers.
Suspects
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu revealed the existence of the list earlier this week, but claimed the suspects could not be detained as they had not yet committed a crime.
The revelations will likely lead to more allegations of negligence by the government over the bombings, a charge it has denied.
Kemal Kilicdarolgu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party, renewed his calls Wednesday for the removal of the government's justice and interior ministers.
These ministers need to go, Kilicdarolgu said, adding that the biggest massacre in the history of the Turkish republic has brought a strong reaction from the public.
Transit point
Turkish media quoted police sources as saying both men traveled to the capital from the Turkish city of Gaziantep, close to the Syrian border, prior to Saturday’s attack.
Gaziantep is considered a frequent transit point for Islamic State militants.
A state prosecutor expanded a coverage ban on Saturday’s attack to include all reporting and commenting by media, including social websites, until all those connected to the attack are arrested.
The ban is being challenged legally and some newspapers are ignoring it.
