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Al-Qaeda Suspect âUpsetâ by 2003 Istanbul Bombs
A Turkish Al-Qaeda suspect held by US forces in Iraqâs Abu Ghraib prison said in a statement read out in court yesterday he was saddened by a series of Istanbul suicide bombings that killed scores of people in 2003. A Turkish cell of Osama Bin Ladenâs Al-Qaeda network claimed responsibility for the truck bomb attacks in November 2003 on two synagogues, the local headquarters of the London-based HSBC Bank and the British consulate.The Istanbul court is hearing charges against 71 suspected Islamist militants in connection with the attacks which killed 61 people, including the bombers, and wounded hundreds more. Burhan Kus said he had traveled to Syria before the bombings on orders from Syrian suspected militant Luia Sakra, known as Abu Mohammed, and Habip Akdas, a Turkish associate. âWhen we got to Abu Mohammedâs house, Habip Akdas was watching television intensely,â Kus said in the statement obtained by Turkish investigators who had visited him in jail to take testimonies. âWhen they saw the news of the explosions in Istanbul, Akdas and Abu Mohammed cheered âGod is greatâ. I thought this sort of attack was going to be carried out against US or Israeli forces, I was very saddened it was done in Turkey,â said the statement quoted by the CNN Turk Web site. Security sources have said Sakra, a bomb-making expert, is the top figure in Osamaâs Al-Qaeda network in Turkey. Turkish police captured him in August and a court charged him with a plot to bomb Israeli tourists. Turkish media, quoting security sources, have said he had secured financing for the Istanbul attacks and received orders from Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaedaâs leader in Iraq. Habip Akdas is believed to have been killed fighting US forces in Iraq. Turkey has asked Iraq to extradite Kus and Habipâs brother, Sadettin Akdas, to face charges in connection with the bombings. Posted by: Fred 2005-10-11 |
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