"My goal is to kill Christians," said the shooter of the Istanbul Reina nightclub on New Year's Eve Abdulkadir Masharipov during the trial, reports Reuters.

" I did not take part in any acts before the Reina event. I thought of carrying out an act against Christians on their holiday, to take revenge for their killing acts across the world. My goal was to kill Christians," he was quoted as saying, "he said, adding that he initially planned to carry out a terrorist attack in Taksim Square.

Masharipov admitted, that he was a member of the Islamic State terrorist group. He planned to move from Syria to Uzbekistan but was unable to do so and stayed in Turkey, having no contacts with IS there.

Masharipov, who is accused of killing 39 people, stated that he would prefer a death penalty, and that he does not regret about his actions. “Why do people say I work against Turkey or am against Turkey? I don't think I did anything against the Turkish republic, I did not do anything against Turkey. I took revenge."