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Istanbul blast kills one, wounds 16, PKK blamed
 The Turkish police confirmed on Friday that a a deadly blast in Istanbul was caused by a bomb, and said they were stepping up security measures against possible attacks by Kurdish separatists. Istanbul police chief Celalettin Cerrah said the security forces determined that Thursday's explosion in an Internet cafe in the city was a bomb attack, Anatolia news agency reported. The bomb apparently targeting police officers killed one person and wounded 16, including seven officers and a 13-year-old boy, authorities said.Zafer Iþýk, a 21-year-old civilian, died after being taken to the hospital, reported the Anatolia news agency on Thursday. A hard-line Kurdish militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, a Kurdish news agency reported. The explosion occurred on Thursday afternoon at a cafe near riot police headquarters in the Istanbul neighborhood of Bayrampa a that is frequented by officers. The explosion ripped through the cafe at 2:05 p.m., blowing out the windows of nearby buildings. One witness said the blast sent chairs flying from the cafe into the street. Coskun Kýlýç said he helped rescue at least seven of the injured. "There was smoke everywhere -- you could barely see them," Kýlýç said. In addition to Iþýk seven officers and nine civilians were hurt, including a child who was badly injured, prosecutor Aykut Engin said. Anatolia said a 13-year-old boy was in critical condition. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) claimed responsibility for the bombing in a telephone call, the Fýrat News Agency, based in the Netherlands, said on its Web site. Turkish officials say TAK is a cover group used by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to carry out attacks on civilian targets that would draw international condemnation. The PKK, however, denies any link to TAK, which was blamed for a series of bomb attacks last year. The shadowy group has claimed responsibility for a number of bomb attacks in Turkey, including a blast in the Aegean resort town of Çe me last summer that wounded 21 people. The group has demanded that jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan be moved out of solitary confinement. Öcalan has been kept on a prison island near Istanbul since his capture in February 1999. There has been a resurgence of violence since June 1, 2004, when the PKK declared an end to the cease-fire, saying Turkey had not responded in kind. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The United States on Thursday deplored the Internet cafe bombing and pledged solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack extended U.S. condolences after the blast. "The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack today in Istanbul," McCormack said in a statement. Washington stands united with our partner, Turkey, in the fight against terrorism and in the pursuit of democracy and justice." Posted by: lotp 2006-02-12 |
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