ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's justice minister says the capture of the suspected perpetrator of the New Year's nightclub attack in Istanbul will lead to a better understanding of the Islamic State group's operations in Turkey.

The suspect was caught in a police operation in Istanbul late on Monday. Authorities identified him as an Uzbek national who trained in Afghanistan and staged the attack for the IS.

Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday that the arrest would reveal "important information" on IS' modes of operation and improve the security forces' ability to thwart attacks.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack which killed 39 people. Turkish authorities say the suspect has confessed.

Bozdag says there was no doubt the attack was the work of IS, saying: "This act's links to (IS) are as clear as the sun."