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| Europe |
| Bombs explode at HSBC branches in Turkey |
| 2004-05-17 |
| Four small bombs exploded outside branches of British bank HSBC in the Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul on Sunday night, hours before British Prime Minister Tony Blair was set to visit Turkey. Police and local media said the blasts caused minor damage and no casualties. A police official said one percussion bomb, believed to have been placed under a car, smashed windows of a bank branch in the capital Ankara when it exploded around 10.30 pm (1930 GMT). There was also an explosion in front of another branch in the city, he said. State-run Anatolian news agency said there were two similar blasts outside two HSBC branches on the Asian side of the country's commercial hub Istanbul around 10 pm, which were also caused by percussion bombs and caused some damage. Percussion bombs, often used by militant groups in attacks in Turkey, generally produce a loud bang but little damage. Television pictures showed slight damage to the wall of one of the banks, which had been cordoned off as police officers inspected the area for evidence. Blair was expected to pledge his support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union and to discuss turmoil in neighbouring Iraq during his six-hour visit to the capital Ankara. He will be the first British leader to visit Ankara since Margaret Thatcher 16 years ago and is expected to praise Turkey's political reforms and stress its importance as a moderate Muslim country espousing democratic, secular values. He is set to meet Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Iraq, which has badly sapped Blair's support at home, will also feature on Monday's agenda. Some Turkish left-wing groups are planning protests against Blair's visit over Iraq. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 stress its importance as a moderate Muslim country espousing democratic, secular values. WRONG! Turkeys importance is that it's actually TRYING to become a moderate Muslim country. They've made progress, but still have a long way to go. The Turkish people must also come to terms with the reality of an inevatible Free Kurdistan. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-05-17 2:33:44 PM |
| #2 He is set to meet Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan Don't turn your back to him, Blair. |
| Posted by: B 2004-05-17 7:19:39 AM |
| #1 "Turkish public opinion strongly opposed the U.S.-led war to oust Saddam Hussein and has been shocked, like the rest of the Muslim world, by photographs detailing abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers." Of course! How could I have forgotten that those photos justify and give muslims the right to do just about anything, from decapitation to bombing banks, to avenge the humiliation suffered by those poor angelical prisoners. Idiotic reporters! |
| Posted by: Anonymous4617 2004-05-17 3:17:32 AM |