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Turkish Press News
These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkeyâs press on November 19, 2003.CONFESSIONS OF AL-QAIDA Confessions of a militant have unveiled acts of the Al-Qaida terrorist network, which is believed to have been behind Saturdayâs devastating bomb attacks on Istanbulâs two main synagogues. Mehmet Ince, who was captured on July 30, 2002 in a joint operation of security forces and the National Intelligence Agency (MIT), confessed that he was given military and bomb training in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Ince claimed that Al-Qaida had been collecting illegal money and provided its militant with false passports. ââSOME COUNTRIES ARE CRYING CROCODILE TEARSââ Following Saturdayâs dual bomb attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul, the government has reproached some European countries for extending support to the terrorist organization for years. Justice Minister and Government Spokesman Cemil Cicek underlined that many countries had supported terrorists for years, adding, ââsome countries, which sent us messages to extend their condolences should think about everything once again. Otherwise, they would have been crying crocodile tears.ââ Noting that some countries used terrorists as âpolitical instrumentsâ, Cicek said, ââsome countries have still been suspending Turkeyâs requests for extradition of terrorists due to unconvincing reasons. So, how can they dare do send these messages of condolences?ââ Ouch, thatâs gonna leave a mark! ââATTACK HAS LINK WITH AFGHANISTANâ Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that it has emerged that bomb attacks staged on two synagogues in Istanbul had link with an organization in Afghanistan in terms of belief and understanding. Gul said that terrorist action was an action which targeted all humanity and stated that the world should fight against terrorism as a single front.
SURPRISING MISSION NATO which undertook the command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan a few months ago is getting prepared to assign Hikmet Cetin who earlier served as Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister to an important mission in Kabul. U.S. diplomatic sources told Milliyet that NATO Secretary General George Robertson would announce on Wednesday that Cetin would serve as the highest civilian administrator of NATO in Afghanistan. An official from the United States told Milliyet that Cetin was a leader who was known with his skills and political experience. Congratulations. ââWE DO NOT ACCEPT MESSAGES FROM TERRORISTSââ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed in a speech he delivered at the group meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party), ââif a message is tried to be given to our state through terrorism, we absolutely reject it. This heinous attack, in fact, targeted Turkey. It was understood once again that terrorism cannot have any nationalities or religious beliefs. Organizations and states expecting terrorism to help themselves, can face with the same trouble in future.ââ âIâM REJECTING MESSAGE GIVEN THROUGH TERRORISMâ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that no one could threaten Turkey through terrorism and stated that if there was a message which wanted to be given through terrorism to state or government, he was rejecting it. Erdogan who addressed Justice and Development Partyâs (AK Party) group meeting talked about bomb attacks staged on two synagogues in Istanbul and killing 25 people. ââWhen I was in Cyprus, I heard some rumors asking why I donât put an emphasis our citizens of Jewish origin? People who died in bomb attacks are all citizens of Turkey. No matter what their religions are, all of them are Turkish citizens and our people. We have made the stress on it,ââ he stated.
Posted by: Steve 2003-11-19 |
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