Turkish authorities have released security footage of an attempted arson at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia on July 11.
The video shows a man in a red hat trying to ignite a fire using books or papers at the base of a column inside the former cathedral now mosque.
According to protothema.gr, a woman nearby noticed the incident and raised the alarm. Security acted quickly to stop the fire from spreading, and police arrested the suspect as he tried to flee the scene.
Local reports state the man is originally from southeastern Turkey and has a history of mental illness, with multiple previous hospitalisations for psychological conditions.
