Video footage of an attempted arson at the historical Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, has been released by the Turkish authorities on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
The video shows a person wearing a red hat attempting to ignite the carpet at the base of a column using books or papers to start a fire.
According to Turkish authorities, the person tried to avoid cameras by covering his face and was not carrying any metal objects or flammable materials, which allowed him to pass through the checkpoint without arousing suspicion. The fire appears to have been caused by papers he was hiding in his pockets.
Video via EKOL TV
The incident took place on July 13, during a prayer.
A woman noticed the suspect’s actions and alerted others. The mosque’s imam responded quickly and managed to prevent the fire from spreading.
Police arrested the suspect as he tried to flee the scene.
The suspect, who reportedly suffers from mental health issues, is originally from southeastern Turkey and has been hospitalized multiple times for psychological disorders.
Hagia Sophia is a historical Greek Orthodox Church of significant symbolism for the Orthodox community around the world.
It was turned into a museum beginning of the 20th century by the founder of modern turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and into a Mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2020.
