Ataturk Airport attackers had hoped to take hostages

The three suicide bombers who detonated in Istanbul's Ataturk Airport on Tuesday, killing 44, had aimed to take dozens hostage, according to Turkey's Sabah paper.

"The coats they were wearing to disguise their suicide vests, despite the hot weather, drew the attention of citizens and a police officer," Sabah wrote. As a result of attracting unwanted attention, the bombers abandoned their plan to take hostages and began the devastating attack.

A one-armed militant, Akhmet Chatayev, has been named as the mastermind behind the attacks; several Turkish papers identified him as being the leader of the Islamic State's cell in Istanbul. The three airport bombers were identified as a Russian, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz national, although it is unclear if Chatayev was involved in the bombing or is currently on the run.

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