In a statement made on the social media account of the Istanbul Police Department, it was reported that on July 11 at around 11:50 p.m., the suspect M.G., who caused the carpet to burn by setting a book on fire inside the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, was identified and taken into custody.
The statement noted that the suspect was arrested on July 13 by judicial authorities following the completion of procedures.
It was determined that the suspect had previously been admitted to a mental health hospital five times.
Meanwhile, the suspect's act of setting the book on fire inside the mosque was recorded by a security camera. The footage shows the carpet catching fire where the suspect left the ignited book at the base of a wall, and the suspect leaving the scene.
