Explosion Occurs In Front Of U.S. Consulate In Adana

ADANA - Two hand-grenades were thrown at the U.S. Consulate in southern province of Adana on Tuesday. One of the grenades went off.
Adana Police Chief Huseyin Capkin visited the scene of explosion and received information about the incident.
Later, he told reporters that two grenades were thrown at the U.S. Consulate and one of them went off in garden of the building.
''Assailant was captured while he was trying to flee from the scene. Ataturk Avenue in which the consulate buildings takes place, was closed to the traffic,'' he said.
SECOND GRENADE DEFUSED
Bomb disposal experts defused the second hand-grenade thrown at the U.S. Consulate.
Windows of the consulate building shattered in the explosion.
Meanwhile, security forces identified the assailant as Cumali Kizilkoca.
ADANA GOVERNOR ONAL: ''INTERROGATION OF SUSPECT CONTINUES''
Onal told the A.A correspondent that the suspect was captured by security forces after throwing grenades.
''He was taken to Provincial Directorate of Security. During his first interrogation, the suspect claimed that he did not have relations with any terrorist organizations. His interrogation has been continuing,'' he said.
During his interrogation, suspect Cumali Kizilkoca said, ''I was on drug. When my parents found that I was using drug, I argued with them. I dreamt that Muslims were massacred. I staged my action as a retaliation to Israel's attack against Hamas organization. I do not have any expectations from my life.''
Officials said that Kizilkoca was earlier convicted of injuring with arm.
Kizilkoca also confessed that he had stolen the bombs during his military service.
FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''A REGRETFUL INCIDENT''
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday that explosion which occurred in front of U.S. Consulate in southern Adana province was a regretful incident, stating that every kind of measure was taken for security.
Speaking before weekly news conference, Dirioz said he talked to Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu by phone, stating that they closely covered the incident.
Dirioz said Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Baki Ilkin called U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson and told him that they were ready to take every necessary security measures.
Dirioz said, ''it is a regretful incident,'' noting that not only for U.S. embassy but also for other foreign missions, necessary measures would be taken.
Dirioz said, ''this incident should not be exaggerated. It is not possible to give a political dimension to the incident at the time being.''
Dirioz said Turkish laws would be valid for the person who had been caught, stating that cancellation of opening of U.S. Consulate was out of question.
TURKEY CONDEMNS ATTACK
Releasing a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday, ''Turkey is against all kinds of terrorism whatever their motives are. Turkey fulfills its responsibilities in international cooperation in fight against terrorism.''
''The Ministry of Foreign Affairs harshly condemns today's bomb attack on the U.S. Consulate,'' it stressed.
Describing the attack as an individual attack, the statement added, ''necessary steps have been taken to provide security of all foreign representations in Turkey. Security officials have launched an investigation into today's attack with a sensitive approach.''
(UK-AY) 11.06.2003