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| Europe |
| TURKEY: 2003 ISTANBUL BOMBINGS TRIAL VERDICT EXPECTED |
| 2007-02-17 |
| (AKI) - An Istanbul court was expected later Friday to reach a verdict on a trial of 73 suspects - 64 still at large - in a series of bombings three years ago against two synagogues, the British consulate and the HSBC bank in the Turkish city. Sixty-two people were killed in the bombings which took place on 20 November 2003. Six of the 9 detainees presented their final defence on Thursday, while the remaining three including a Syrian, Loai Mohammad Haj Bakr al-Saqa - who prosecutors alleged was the mastermind of the attacks on behalf of al-Qaeda - began with theirs on Friday morning. Police increased security between the prison and the courthouse after US intelligence officials reportedly warned Turkish security authorities of an al-Qaeda plan to rescue al-Saqa. Turkish authorities did not comment on the reports. Prosecutors have demanded life imprisonment for 32 year-old al-Saqa, who is charged with masterminding the attacks and with giving Turkish militants about 170,000 US dollars to carry them out. Prosecutors allege Osama bin Laden had personally ordered al-Saqa to carry out the attacks. Al-Saqa was captured by Turkish police in Diyarbakir nearly 1.5 years ago when he was allegedly planning a suicide attack against Israeli cruise ships transportng tourists to Turkish resorts. Al-Saqa has reportedly admitted of plotting the attack against the Israeli ships. "You're not judging me, but judging the resistance in Iraq. I shall be patient and I will pray while my fellow brothers continue the Jihad," al-Saqa was quotes as saying by the Dogan News Agency. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 give him the Midnight Express DVD.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-02-17 09:34 |
| #1 That's a clemency request? he's a dead idiot. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-02-17 09:21 |