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| Europe |
| Istanbul Governor: Assailants Managed To Explode Four Bombs |
| 2004-03-10 |
| Details on Masonic Lodge attack, combining two different stories for information: Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said on Wednesday that four bombs exploded in the attack on a Masonic lodge in Kartal district and ten unexploded bombs were also found in the scene. Talking to reporters, Guler said that four bombs exploded in the attack on three-storey building housing the Masonic lodge on Tuesday night and ten other bombs were found before being detonated. Guler said that the bombs were pipe bombs and hand made, adding that four plastic bottles full of gasoline were also found in the scene. Guler stated that terrorists tried to burn one of the bottles, but they were not able to do it. Terrorists who staged bomb attack last night in Kartal district of Istanbul wrapped themselves homemade pipe bombs, sources said. During their investigation, police officers found out that both terrorists had each 8-10 homemade pipe bombs strapped on their bodies. Low tech pipe bombs, not the C-4 paleoboomer brand. Sounds like poorly trained local group. Asked if the suicide attack on Masonic Lodge could have any connection with the former terrorist attacks staged in Istanbul, Guler said that the style of the recent suicide attack, the arms and type of bomb used in the attack, and the identities of the suicide bombers were very different. Therefore, Guler noted, they did not think that this recent suicide attack had links with the former terrorist attacks in Istanbul. Sounds different, at least the level of expertise of the people carrying it out. The shadowy forces who gave the orders may be the same. Guler said that two persons who came to the three-storey building housing Masonic Lodge around 22.10, shot the security guard in his feet. Later the terrorists opened fire on the building from the window and entered the building`s restaurant part. One terrorist was killed when he detonated the bomb on himself at the entrance and one waiter who was near him also died in the explosion, Guler said. Guler added that the second terrorist was seriously wounded while five persons who were among the people dining in the restaurant were also wounded. Guler said that nothing happened to other persons dining in the restaurant part of the building in the explosion except five people. Guler said that about 40 people had been eating in the restaurant at the time of the attack. ``The explosion occurred near the entrance and the wounded were all seated nearby,`` Guler said. Small pipe bombs with small blast area. The Free and Accepted Mason Grand Lodge Association has condemned the attack on its branch in Yakacik district in Asian side of Istanbul, stressing, ’’this inhuman attack did not target only members of our association, but targeted the peaceful atmosphere in Turkey.’’ Releasing a statement on Wednesday, the Association recalled, ’’suicide bombers struck at about 22.00 local time on Tuesday. One killed himself while the other failed to set off his explosives. In the attack, a restaurant waiter was killed, a security official and our five members were injured. We regretted this heinous attack. This inhuman attack did not target only members of our association, but targeted the peaceful atmosphere in Turkey.’’ ’’Our members, who have been working in a totally legal and national association under the control and guarantee of the Republic of Turkey, are intellectual people who are respectful to all religious beliefs, loyal to national and moral values and supporters of principles and reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk." Which makes you a target. "We believe that such attacks targeting Masons aim to intimidate modern and secular Turkish society and defame Turkey in the world public opinion. We condemn this heinous attack and extend our condolences to family of the person who was killed,’’ the statement added. Amen. No group has so far claimed responsibility for yesterday’s attack. Give it time. Security forces have been combing the scene for clues. Keep at it. The person, who was one of the terrorists staging yesterday’s suicide attack on the Free and Accepted Mason Grand Lodge Association in Kartal district of Istanbul, has been put under sedation in intensive care unit. Whisper in his ear, maybe he’ll talk while under. Dr. Recep Demirhan from the Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Hospital told the A.A on Wednesday, ’’the person aged about 30-35 has been put under sedation in our intensive care unit. His left arm ripped off from his shoulder and his right hand ripped off from his wrist. He has also been suffering from injuries in his abdomen.’’ Oooooo, sounds painful. Excellent. Referring to conditions of the other injured people, Dr. Demirhan said, ’’Bilgehan Bilgen, 40, has been suffering from injuries in his left kidney and abdomen. Security official Mehmet Lamba, 54, has been shot in his neck and nose. Bedri Selim, 58, and Omer Aksu, 56, have been slightly injured in the attack and they are in good condition. Kadir Dabbagoglu was discharged from the hospital after the medical treatment.’’ Meanwhile, Prosecutor Nazmi Mardinlioglu said that Huseyin Kurugol, a restaurant waiter who was killed in the attack, was shot twice. Security forces have been combing the scene for clues. They found two handguns in the scene. Security forces said that the injured terrorist had an identity card arranged in the name of Abdullah Islam. They noted that they had been working to confirm his identify. When reminded about the name of the wounded terrorist (Abdullah Islam) who was hospitalized, Guler said that ``he told that name himself, it can be right or wrong.`` Most likely fake. Stressing that additional security measures were taken in building of the association following last year’s suicide attacks targeting synagogues in Istanbul, security forces added that these measures were called off after association officials told them that they had their own security official and did not need additional measures. I’d rethink that. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 More from al-Guardian: The wounded assailant, who identified himself as Abdullah Islam, shouted "Down with the Israeli lodge" as he was taken to hospital, leading Turkish newspapers Milliyet and Hurriyet reported today. NTV quoted the police as saying Mr Islam was an Afghan. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-3-10 12:55:32 PM |
| #1 Details from CNN: Two men attacked a security guard and sprayed a restaurant in the lodge with gunfire before detonating an explosive device Tuesday night, Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler said. "Two assailants shot the guard in his feet and raked the restaurant of the lodge with gunfire, then detonated bombs," Guler told reporters. "One terrorist and one waiter was killed, the second terrorist is injured with his arm ripped off and his guts spilled out." Turkish media said the second attacker could not be taken to hospital for more than an hour while explosives strapped to his body were removed, Reuters reported. CNN's Matthew Chance in Istanbul said early indications were that Tuesday night's blast was not linked to al Qaeda. "The crude nature of the devices used by the apparent suicide bombers ... indicates to police in the initial stages of their investigation that it doesn't seem to have any al Qaeda link," Chance said. Local media were reporting that the alleged attackers botched the job and that they may have been members of a previously unknown radical Islamist group. "We don't think it is likely this attack was the work of al Qaeda or Hizbullah," the Hurriyet daily newspaper quoted an unnamed senior security source as saying, according to Reuters. Hizbullah is a reference to a radical Turkish Islamist group not connected with the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Reuters said. "It could have been carried out by inexperienced militants of a newly formed radical religious group ... If the bomb had been better made, the whole building could have blown up," the source told Hurriyet. The Milliyet daily quoted security experts as saying the explosive device was a pipe-style bomb of the kind typically used by another Turkish militant group called IBDA-C (the Islamic Great Eastern Raiders' Front), Reuters reported. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-3-10 12:49:20 PM |