Istanbul terror attack: Suicide bomber taken out by hero cop

One of the suicide bombers who attacked Istanbul's Ataturk airport appeared to have been shot by police moments before he detonated his vest.

The triple suicide bombing and gun attack killed at least 36 people, including foreigners, with Turkey's prime minister saying early signs pointed to an assault by ISIL.

Still images taken from security footage show a terrorist running through the international terminal, AK-47 at the ready, before being knocked to the ground by a bullet.

His weapon slides across the floor, and the cop who fired the shot approaches with his weapon drawn.

The policeman moves towards the terrorist, who remains alive and rolling on the ground, before he suddenly turns and flees.

Seconds later the terrorist and terminal hall is engulfed in a huge fireball as his vest explodes.

Three suicide bombers tried to pass through the X-ray machines at the arrivals hall of the international terminal when they were stopped by police, a Turkish official said.

The attackers began spraying bullets at the international terminal entrance before blowing themselves up.

It is the deadliest of four attacks to rock Turkey's biggest city this year, with two others blamed on ISIL and another claimed by a militant Kurdish group.

Though there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the carnage, "the evidence points to Daesh", Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told journalists at the scene, using another name for the jihadist group.

He said the dead included foreigners, but gave no further details. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag put the number of wounded at 147.

The attack prompted the suspension of all flights at the airport, which is one of Europe's busiest hubs.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an international "joint fight" against terror, as Western allies including the United States condemned the "heinous" attack.

Yildirim said the suicide bombers had arrived in a taxi and opened fire on passengers with automatic rifles before blowing themselves up.

Security camera footage widely circulated on social media appeared to capture two of the blasts. In one clip a huge ball of flame erupts at an entrance to the terminal building, scattering terrified passengers.

Wednesday's attack follows coordinated IS suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that left 32 people dead.

with AFP