Al-Qaeda cell claims responsibility for Istanbul blasts
A unit of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network has claimed that it carried out two suicide bombings in Istanbul yesterday.
The attacks on the British consulate in the Turkish city and the headquarters of British-based bank HSBC left 27 people dead and an estimated 450 injured.
Abu Hafz al-Masri Brigades said it had targeted the UK to “shatter the peace of Britain… which battles Islam”.
“The Abu Hafz al-Masri Brigades targeted the British consul, Roger Short, because of his extensive experience in combating Islam and because he is considered the mastermind of British policy in the region comprising Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran,” the statement said in Arabic.
“Our cars of death struck the consulate building. As for the British bank headquarters, this is a bastion of the British economy and let Britain and its people know that is alliance with America will not bring it prosperity or security.”
The group has also claimed responsibility for the bombing of two synagogues in Turkey on Saturday, which killed 23 people, mostly Turks.
The British consul-general, Roger Short, and his personal assistant Lisa Hallworth were killed in the strike on the consulate.
The Turkish foreign minister, Abdullah Gul, has announced that several people have been arrested in connection with the explosions.
He said the attacks would strengthen the global fight against terrorism.
Mr Gul refused to give further details of the arrests, though Turkish daily Hurriyet has reported that seven people have been arrested and identified by police as Turkish citizens.
An intensive investigation into the bombings has begun, with 16 members of London’s anti-terrorist police branch joining Turkish police.
The UK Foreign Office has warned of more attacks in Turkey and tightened its travel advice to Istanbul and the country’s other major cities, warning Britons against “all but essential travel”.
