Kidnapped Syrian Bishops Murdered, Killer in Istanbul Prison, Academic Claims.

Kidnapped Syrian Bishops Murdered, Killer in Istanbul Prison, Academic Claims.HT: Aina.

Academic Erkan Metin claims that two bishops -- one Syriac and one Greek Orthodox -- who were abducted in the Syrian city of Aleppo in April, were killed by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and their murderer is under arrest in Istanbul.

Agos weekly on Thursday published a story on the kidnapped Metropolitan Paul Yazigi of the Antakya Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Aleppo and Metropolitan John Ibrahim of the Aleppo Syriac Church.

The two bishops were kidnapped in Aleppo on April 22 and there have been no official reports on them since.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry often made statements saying there were ongoing diplomatic efforts to save the bishops. Footage allegedly showing their murder was circulating on the Internet, but officials denied its authenticity.

It has also been claimed that the murderers were captured in the Turkish province of Konya, though officials have also denied these claims.

Metin, who says he conducted a comprehensive independent investigation into the incident, claimed that the bishops were abducted by 70 members of ISIS and have probably been killed by now.

Metin also claims that Ebu Banat, an ISIS leader known for committing wild murders, was part of the kidnapping and alleged murder of the bishops, was arrested and is currently in Istanbul's Maltepe Prison.