Reuters, based on to the Turkish newspaper - Yeni Safak, reports that one of the bombers at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport was Russian citizen Akhmed Chateyev. Chatayev who joined ISIS after leaving Austria, had served time in prison in Georgia. Akhmed Chatayev was captured by Georgian authorities in 2012 after the Lapankuri Special Operation and was sentenced to prison for procuring and storing weapons. During the arrest, police found Chatayev carrying grenades. Chatayev got wounded during the operation and underwent leg amputation.

Chatayev's arrest in 2012 was followed by demonstrations in Tbilisi and in Pankisi Gorge. The Public Defender, Ucha Nanuashvili who then headed "Human Rights Center" and other non-government organizations were stressing that Chatayev was illegally imprisoned. After the elections in 2012, the new government freed Chatayev on bail and the Prosecutor's Office closed his case. Chatayev soon left for Austria where he obtained refugee status. In 2015, US put Chatayev on the international terrorists list.

Commenting on the reports, the head of the Georgian Dream majority in the Parliament, Zurab Kvachantiradze warned media not to try to connect Istanbul attack to Georgian Dream.

“Under the Georgian Dream, many were let out of prison, and maybe there were mistakes made. But do not try to connect the Istanbul terrorist attack to Georgian Dream”, - he said.

Minister of Justice, Tea Tsulukiani said that she, in 2012, was against the decision to free Chatayev, and that she believes prosecutor’s office must have paid more attention to such cases. “But now all this is past,” – she commented.

Reuters New Agency reports that the three suicide bombers involved in the attack are the citizens of Russia, Uzbekistan and Kirgizstan. The Turkish government has not yet confirmed the information. Ataturk Airport Attack in Istanbul killed 42 individuals and wounded more than 230. No terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Turkish officials believe that the attack was carried out by the ISIS.