ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish authorities have formally arrested 25 suspects in connection with the shooting of a man during a service at a church in Istanbul last weekend, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on Friday. The two main suspects were foreign nationals, one from Tajikistan and the other Russian, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said previously. Tunc said the 25 suspects were charged with membership of an illegal organisation and aggravated intentional homicide, adding that another nine suspects were released pending trial. The murdered man had gone into the church while out for a walk and had no political or religious affiliations, his cousin has said. Turkish authorities have detained 2,086 people suspected of ties to Islamic State since June 2023, Yerlikaya has said.

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Persons: Yilmaz Tunc, Tunc, Ali Yerlikaya, Yerlikaya, Daren Butler, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Islamic, Islamic State, Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church, Authorities, Reuters Locations: ISTANBUL, Istanbul, Islamic State, Tajikistan, Israel, Gaza, Italian, Istanbul's Sariyer, Turkish, State, Turkey, Jan