BOMB ATTACKS STRIKE ISTANBUL, KILLING 23 AND WOUNDING HUNDREDS
Suicide car bombers attacked two synagogues in downtown Istanbul at almost the same time early Saturday. The two blasts killed 23 people, including both Jewish and Muslim Turkish citizens, and some 300 were wounded. One explosion went off outside the Neve Shalom synagogue, the city’s largest. The other severely damaged the Beth Israel synagogue in Sisli district. The explosions occurred during morning Jewish Sabbath prayers, around 10 a.m. Most of the causalities appeared to be residents living nearby and passers-by. Houses and cars were completely destroyed where the explosions took place. The Neve Shalom synagogue was the scene of another bloody attack in 1986 by Palestinians in which 22 people were killed. /All Papers/

ERDOGAN CALLS ON ALL COUNTRIES TO TAKE UNITED STAND AGAINST TERRORISM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday surveyed the damage caused by near-simultaneous bomb attacks on two Istanbul synagogues on Saturday. Erdogan told reporters that the deadly attacks were a reminder of terrorism’s worldwide reach and the need for united international action against it. Stressing that an investigation was already underway, Erdogan said, “Those behind these attacks will be found, and necessary measures will be taken.” Erdogan pledged that his government would do its best to help victims of the attacks. The premier also visited the wounded in hospital and expressed his sorrow and condolences to Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Haleva and members of the Jewish community at large. /All Papers/

GUL: “TURKEY IS WORKING ON A BREAKTHROUGH INITIATIVE FOR CYPRUS”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that Turkey was busy preparing a new breakthrough initiative to help push a settlement on the Cyprus issue. Stressing that Turkey was entering a very critical period for its European Union membership bid, Gul said, “We are working on a new plan for Cyprus through serious analysis rather than mere slogans and enthusiasm.” During his visit to Kayseri over the weekend, Gul told reporters that both sides in Cyprus should take good faith steps to solve the issue. /Turkiye/

WORLD DENOUNCES BOMB ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL
Countries worldwide condemned the deadly car bomb attacks on Saturday targeting two synagogues in Istanbul, calling them “tragic” and “reprehensible.” In related news, US President George W. Bush said that the attacks prove that terrorists do their work “without conscience or faith,” and reiterated that the United States stands with Turkey in the global fight against them. Calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his sympathy over the bombings, Bush said, “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attacks in Istanbul, where Turkey’s diverse religious communities of Muslim, Jewish and Christian believers have flourished together for centuries.” The US State Department also strongly condemned the attacks. In addition, Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to convey his condolences. /All Papers/

IN WAKE OF BOMB ATTACKS, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ISTANBUL
In the wake of the twin attacks on synagogues in Istanbul on Saturday, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom arrived in Istanbul yesterday. After visiting the chief rabbi in Istanbul, Shalom laid wreaths at the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues. Later Shalom met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. “This attack has injured both Muslims and Jews,” Shalom said afterwards. “These attacks on innocent worshippers are the work of radicals and cowards.” Shalom added he had faith the Turkish government would spare no effort to find those behind the attacks and stressed that he shared the shock and grief of the Turkish people. /Hurriyet/

ARABIC NEWSPAPER: “AL QUAEDA SAYS IT IS BEHIND SUICIDE ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL”
A London-based Arabic newspaper said yesterday that a unit of the al Qaeda network had claimed responsibility for the weekend synagogue bombings in Istanbul that killed at least 23. The editor of al-Quds al-Arabi said that a division of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda known as the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades had sent it a statement claiming responsibility for Saturday's near-simultaneous bombings. /Turkiye/

RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS HEAD BARDAKOGLU DENOUNCES BOMB ATTACKS
Religious Affairs Directorate head Ali Bardakoglu issued a statement after Saturday’s deadly suicide attacks in Istanbul forthrightly condemning the terrorist actions. Attacks targeting innocent worshippers, no matter their faith, show that these suicide bombers are utterly lacking in values, said the statement. “We share the pain of our Jewish citizens, with whom we have lived in Anatolia side-by-side, peacefully, for centuries, and we condemn these terrible attacks,” added Bardakoglu. /Hurriyet/

BAYKAL: “TURKEY HAS ENTERED A NEW ERA IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM”
Condemning Saturday’s deadly car bombings of Istanbul synagogues, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that Turkey had entered a new period in its fight against terrorism. “We must recognize that Turkey has entered a new era,” said Baykal. “There may be other attacks. International solidarity is necessary to fight terrorism.” He further warned that the attacks showed that Turkey’s anti-terrorism defenses were insufficient. /Aksam/

ISRAELI PM SHARON EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO TURKEY OVER TERRORIST ATTACKS
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said yesterday that the deadly bombings of two synagogues in Istanbul this weekend showed that “terrorism knows no bounds.” Sharon opened the weekly Israeli Cabinet meeting with a statement expressing his nation’s condolences to the families of those slain, Jews and Muslims alike, in the “despicable” terror attack in Istanbul. “We saw once again that terrorism knows no bounds,” he said. “Terrorism doesn’t discriminate on the basis of religion or blood. Its aim is to sow fear and terror through the slaying of innocent people.” He added that Israel had full confidence that Turkey would capture those responsible and bring them to justice. /Aksam/

DYP HEAD AGAR: “TURKEY HAS PROVED ITS METTLE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM”
In the wake of Saturday’s terrorist attacks in Istanbul, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said yesterday that Turkey was a country which had proved itself on the international stage in the fight against terrorism. “Our nation will not be cowed by terrorist attacks,” he added. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN: “TURKEY WILL NEVER FORSAKE ITS SUPPORT FOR THE TRNC”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan this weekend attended celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Also present at the ceremonies were Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, Air Forces Commander Gen. Ibrahim Firtina and other government ministers and deputies. Turkey will never forsake the TRNC, and its support will remain steadfast, pledged Erdogan. /Cumhuriyet/

US CYPRUS ENVOY WESTON TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA TOMORROW
Thomas Weston, the special US coordinator for Cyprus, is expected to arrive in Ankara today to discuss Turkey’s European Union membership bid and the Cyprus issue with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other officials. While Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU next May, Turkey hopes to get a date for its membership talks during the December 2004 EU summit. In related news, new Turkmen Front Iraqi leader Faruk Abdullah Abdurrahman is expected to arrive in Ankara tomorrow to meet with Gul. Current Iraqi Governing Council President Jalal Talabani is also expected to visit Turkey tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/

NATO COMMANDER VISITS OZKOK
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday met with NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani in Ankara. During their meeting, the two commanders discussed Turkey’s structures of force and command as well as its relations within NATO. In addition, recently established “perfection centers” and NATO’s transformation were also taken up. /Turkiye/