Arson attempt at Hagia Sophia: Historic mosque saved at the last minute
A suspect who entered the Hagia Sophia Mosque while hiding their face set fire to papers behind reading desks after prayers. A female visitor who noticed the flames prevented a potential disaster. Police are in pursuit of the suspect, who is believed to be a foreign national.
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Hagia Sophia Mosque, one of Istanbul's most important historical structures, has narrowly escaped a major danger. An unidentified person who entered the mosque after the Isha prayer attempted to commit arson inside. The fire was extinguished before it could spread, thanks to the vigilance of a sensitive female visitor.
HID HIS FACE, ENTERED SECRETLY
According to Ekol TV, the incident took place in the evening hours, immediately after the Isha prayer was performed. It was noted that a male individual who entered the mosque wearing a red hat, a black shirt, and shorts specifically tried to hide his face from security cameras. While it was stated that he passed through security without any issues as he had no metal objects on him, it was determined that he had numerous small pieces of paper in his pockets.
LEFT AFTER BURNING PAPERS AND PAGES
After entering the mosque, the suspect did not head directly toward central areas such as the minbar or the mihrab. Instead, he proceeded to the area where the reading desks are located behind the mosque's marble columns. There, he laid out the pieces of paper he had brought with him and pages he had torn from a book, and set them on fire. He then left the area without showing any signs of panic.
ATTENTION OF A FEMALE VISITOR PREVENTED DISASTER
The first person to notice the fire was a female visitor wearing a green headscarf. Sensing the smell of smoke, the woman quickly spotted the flames and asked the imam for help. The mosque imam tried to intervene by crossing the security barriers but could not extinguish the fire alone. Another male visitor present in the mosque also intervened. The carpet engulfed in flames was pulled away, and the fire was brought under control.