AMSTERDAM - The Turkish Embassy in The Hague, stated on Thursday about Tuesday's fire-bomb attack that the motives, whatever they were, to perpetrate such an act could in no way diminish its gravity.
Releasing a written statement, the Turkish Embassy in The Hague stressed, ''although we escaped the attack lightly, the damage caused by the attack is quite serious. There is no question that this was a pre-meditated attack in view of the size and scope of the damage that the explosive had caused. The motives, whatever they are, to perpetrate such an act can in no way diminish its gravity.''
Referring to news stories in the Dutch press claiming that it was an isolated case caused by a dispute between embassy staff and the perpetrator due to a visa application, the embassy said that such claims were totally inaccurate, noting that the embassy did not issue visas.
''Furthermore, there was no argument that took place before the incident. After he entered the embassy building, the assailant threw an explosive which he had hidden in his bag. There was a struggle with the embassy security official and he managed to escape during the fire caused by the explosive material,'' it added.
The statement recalled that visa proceedings were being carried out only at Turkish consulates general in Rotterdam and Deventer.
Describing the event as pre-meditated, the statement added that the assailant had still been under detention and that security measures around the embassy building had been tightened following the attack.
A 16-year-old suspect tossed a bag of burning material into the embassy building on November 4. Five people including the assailant were slightly injured in the attack.
(UK-AÖ) 06.11.2003