WASHINGTON: A Chechen militant masterminded the triple suicide bombing at Istanbul’s busiest airport that killed at least 44 people, a US congressman said.

Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, told CNN that Akhmed Chatayev directed Tuesday night’s attack at Ataturk Airport, one of the world’s busiest, which also wounded more than 230.

Reports in the Turkish media said that police have launched a massive manhunt to catch him. Congressman McCaul said it was unclear where Chatayev was, but served as a top lieutenant in the militant Islamic State group’s war ministry.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that IS was “most probably” behind it. The group has boasted of having cells in Turkey, among other countries.

“They have no connection to Islam. Their place is in hell,” Mr Erdogan said, speaking in Istanbul following Friday prayers.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2016