Turkish security forces arrested a Russian national who was planning on attacking the US Air Force base at Incirlik, possibly by using a weaponized drone.
Renat Bakiev had reportedly planned on downing an American aircraft by crashing a drone into it mid-flight over Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.
Authorities arrested Bakiev after they monitored him filming operations at the base. Bakiev admitted to police that he previously attempted to attack US forces at the base, but was unsuccessful.
The US base at Incirlik is used as a staging grounds for US bombing raids against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State has been using weaponized drones with devastating effectiveness.
In May, Lt. Gen. Vincent R. Stewart, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the terrorist group had begun using drones, for both intelligence gathering and attacks.
“In the past year, ISIS’s use of unmanned aerial systems (drones) for surveillance and delivery of explosives has increased, posing a new threat to civilian infrastructure and military installations.” Stewart testified.
The Pentagon recently issued a directive limiting use of private drones, amid fears that some may be susceptible to hacking from ISIS.
US Intelligence had reported that the Islamic State’s familiarity with certain drones’ control systems made them a ripe hacking-target that could provide valuable intelligence, such as troop movements.
