ISTANBUL - Turkish intelligence and police captured three Uzbek nationals in Istanbul, accusing them of killing an Israeli-Moldovan civilian who resided in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Turkish sources on Tuesday.

Turkish sources said the arrest was conducted at the request of the UAE as the three Uzbek citizens fled the country after being confirmed as the perpetrators of the murder.

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The Turkish intelligence and police "quickly" launched a covert operation against the suspects, tracked their flights, and monitored their movements after they arrived in Istanbul.

The suspects' taxi was stopped for a traffic check and they were arrested and subsequently extradited to the UAE.

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Zvi Kogan, a former Israeli soldier, was a rabbi and emissary of the Jewish religious movement Chabad in the UAE.

The UAE intelligence and security authorities found the body of Kogan on Nov 24, three days after the rabbi went missing. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office then said Kogan was killed in a "heinous antisemitic terror incident."