ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 21, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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AL MURDERER: 27 DEAD
Al Qaida again turned Istanbul into blood bath yesterday by two suicide attacks staged by pick-up trucks. The first bomb exploded in front of British HSBC Bank Headquarters in Levent district of Istanbul at 10.55 a.m. The second attack was staged on British Consulate General in Beyoglu district six minutes later. British Consul General Roger Short and theater player Kerem Yilmazer died in the attacks. Assailants were again Turks. Police opened fire but it did not work out.
STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSED FOR TWO DAYS
As the assailants hit HSBC Bank Headquarters in Istanbul, Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) fell by 1.162 points. As a result of this, the stock exchange was closed. Thus, a historic crisis in financial markets was prevented. U.S. dollar gained 17 thousand Turkish liras (TL) in value. International stock exchanges also decreased. The stock exchange which haulted transactions yesterday will also be closed today.
I CONDEMN IT
Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok heard the news that two blasts occurred in Istanbul when he was watching NATO exercise in Aegean Izmir province. The first reaction of Ozkok was, ''I am thinking about the ugly face of terrorism and I condemn it.'' NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe General James L. Jones said that when they were performing a maneuver to be prepared against such terrorist attacks, a real attack was staged in Istanbul. Jones added that NATO members would continue to support each other.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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THEY CAN'T DEFEAT US
Two suicide attacks in Beyoglu and Levent districts of Istanbul claimed lives of 27 people. We are feeling and sharing the pain caused by a group of murderers who are feared of showing their faces. When attacking on our life mercilessly, terrorist think that they can defeat us. But, we will not satisfy them. Those who want to make Islam a tool of their dark desires should know that we will not be slaves of an order of fear they want to create. Our social solidarity is the guarantee that we will win this war.
FIRST NIGHTMARE IN LEVENT
First bomb which shocked Turkey exploded in front of HSBC Bank Headquarters at 10.55 a.m. on Thursday. The explosion was heard kilometers away from the spot. Six storeys of the building became uninhabitable after the explosion.
TWIN HORROR
Two blasts which rocked Istanbul yesterday were ''twin'' with blasts of the synagogues. Again two vehicles loaded with bombs, again scent of ammonia, and again barrels. Istanbul experienced suicide attacks yesterday which were almost the same with the simultaneous suicide attacks by pick-up trucks which were staged on Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues on Saturday. Twenty-seven people died and more than 450 others were injured in attacks on headquarters of HSBC Bank with British capital and British Consulate General in Istanbul. Similarities between yesterday's and Saturday's attacks drew attention of experts.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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DAY OF SOLIDARITY
We will neither be feared nor crouch down or close ourselves home. We will defeat terrorism hand in hand with the world. Terrorism has again hit us. Again, simultaneous attacks. These attacks turned Levent and Beyoglu districts into hell. The balance sheet of the attacks is very painful. But, we will not be affected by the intrigues of terrorism. We will unite and be against terrorism altogether. Terrorism takes Turkey model as target. A Turkey, which enables co-existence of Islam and democracy and which targets as European Union (EU), makes them angry. We will start national and international fight against terrorism. And, we will naturally win in the end.
HSBC: ''WE WILL NOT WITHDRAW FROM TURKEY, WE ARE HERE AND WE WILL WORK''
British HSBC Bank, Istanbul headquarters of which was rocked by a bomb attack on Thursday, said that they would not withdraw from Turkey. Thus, the Bank gave an important response to terrorism. A statement of HSBC Bank Headquarters said that the rumors that they would withdraw from Turkey were baseless and they would continue their commercial activities in Turkey. The statement of the bank said, ''the Bank will continue its commercial activities as of tomorrow. HSBC administration is in full charge and there is no reason for our clients to be worried.''
''LACK OF INTELLIGENCE''
''Twin'' bomb attacks which rocked Istanbul in five days drew attention on ''lack of intelligence.'' Experts defend the view that activists who joined several terrorist organizations abroad cannot be followed sufficiently in Turkey. Occurrence of two blasts in Istanbul yesterday before Istanbul and Turkey healed the wounds of Saturday's attacks on two synagogues brought onto agenda discussions if ''the intelligence is sleeping.'' Experts show the reason of the failure in prevention of attacks as insufficient work of the intelligence units although the possibility that fundamentalist terrorism which has climbed the summit by September 11th attacks can spread to Turkey is high. Experts claim that serious work has not been exerted despite the intelligence that terrorist attacks which started in the United States by September 11th attacks and continued in Bali island of Indonesia and Saudi Arabia can also be seen in Turkey. Inflow of information about the possible people and organizations with whom assailants who plan to stage these attacks can contact in Turkey was insufficient. According to claims, rotations were made in intelligence units which will work on this issue. Directors and intelligence personnel who know these organizations well were appointed to other places. Those who replaced these directors and personnel were not permitted to be informed.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WE CONDEMN TERRORISM
British Consulate General in Istanbul and HSBC Bank Headquarters were targets of terrorist attacks yesterday. Twenty-seven people including British Consulate General Short died while 450 people were injured in the attacks. 19 of the injured are in serious condition. We saw the bloody face of terrorism five days after the attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul. Attacks were staged on HSBC Bank with British capital in Levent and British Consulate General in Beyoglu by pick-up truck loaded with bombs. Majority of 600 personnel of HSBC Bank survived the attack since they were attending a seminar during the time of the explosion. Citizens said that the attack in Beyoglu was staged immediately after the Consul General entered the building. Transportation was paralyzed, telephone communication was cut. Stock exchange was closed and Turkey was in ''red alarm.'' New attacks staged after the real force behind the synagogue blasts were found showed that the government and security forces could not perceive the dimensions of terrorism and how serious it was. The first official statement after the blasts came from British Foreign Secretary Straw while Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his statement six and a half hours later. Erdogan said, ''those who turn this holy day into blood bath will give an explanation in this and the other world.''
PRESIDENT SEZER: ''WE SHOULD HAVE COMMON SENSE''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that the aim of terrorism was to cause fear, intimidation and panic and called on citizens to have common sense. The General Staff, who stressed that the attack was foreign-oriented, drew attention to importance of international cooperation in fight against terrorism.
WORLD CONDEMNS: BARBAROUS AND VULGAR
Attack staged in Istanbul during the meeting of U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Britain was considered a message to Britain. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw immediately came to Turkey. Leaders of many countries from Europe to Asia harshly condemned the attacks.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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AL QAIDA IN WAR WITH TURKEY
British Consulate General in Istanbul and HSBC Bank building were bombed in Istanbul yesterday. The city was shocked by the blasts. Vehicles loaded with explosives turned Istanbul into a war field five days after synagogue blasts. Twenty-seven people including British Consul General in Istanbul Roger Short died and hundreds of people were injured in the blasts. Justice and interior ministers said that attacks on synagogues and Thursday's attacks had similarities. Military units contributed to tightening of security measures in the city for the first time after many years. Four universities were closed. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who convened an emergency summit canceling his programs, called for cooperation in fight against terrorism.
PANIC IN HOSPITALS
After Thursday's blasts in Istanbul, Taksim Emergency Aid Hospital was full of injured. Relatives of people who were injured in the attacks rushed into hospital and were seemed to be very feared. There was a big panic in Taksim Emergency Aid Hospital. 91 people who were injured in attacks were brought to this hospital, 12 people lost their lives. Besides ambulances, many taxis brought the injured to the hospital.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TARGET IS AGAIN HUMANITY
Terrorism showed its real face again in Istanbul yesterday. Levent and Beyoglu districts of Istanbul were rocked by bombs yesterday. As Istanbul could not overcome the shock of Saturday's synagogue blasts, it was rocked by two other bomb attacks yesterday. Blasts occurred in front of HSBC Bank Headquarters in Levent and British Consulate General in Beyoglu. Twenty-seven people died and 455 people were injured in the attacks. 74 vehicles and 38 buildings were damaged. Four of the injured are under intensive care.
PARLIAMENT ONE HEART
The sole item of agenda of Parliamentary General Assembly was attacks in Istanbul yesterday. Representatives of ruling and opposition parties gave the message that Turkey would never give up fight against terrorism and would never be intimidated.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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AIM OF TERRORISM IS TO CAUSE FEAR
As Turkey could not overcome the shock of Saturday's synagogue blasts, it faced a second wave of attacks yesterday. Targets of terrorism was British Consulate General in Istanbul and HSBC Bank Headquarters yesterday. Twenty-seven people died and 455 people were injured in the attacks. British Consul General Roger Short is among those who lost their lives in the attacks.
ANKARA POLICE DEPARTMENT SEARCHING FOR THREE LORRIES
Concerns that attacks in Istanbul will spread to Ankara have increased after some intelligence was sent to security units. According to information sent to gendarme intelligence units, three pick-up trucks which were said to be used in suicide attacks entered in Ankara two days ago. Security units are searching for these three pick-up trucks which could be loaded with bombs in every part of Ankara. Security measures in Ankara have been tightened. Tight security measures taken around embassies, foreign institutions or representations like HSBC Bank. Gendarme units are asked not to permit any vehicle to park near the buildings under their control.
ANKARA INFORMED BEFOREHAND ABOUT ATTACKS TO BE STAGED BY VEHICLES LOADED WITH BOMBS
Attacks staged in Istanbul were being expected days before the blasts. Turkey's consulate generals in Baghdad, Tehran and Munich sent messages to Ankara saying that radical organizations would stage attacks with vehicles loaded with bombs. Zaman daily published these warnings of foreign representations on October 4, 2003. Turkey's Embassy in Baghdad sent a crypto to the Foreign Ministry on September 15 in which it reported that Kurdish groups in Iraq and radical organizations would collaborate and were in preparation of a suicide attack on very important targets in Ankara. A second crypto of Turkish Embassy in Tehran said that a bomb attack would be staged on military intelligence bureaus of Turkey in north of Iraq and Irbil. A message of Turkey's Consulate General in Munich said that a group named ''Birigada Askaria Muhammad'' (Brigade of Soldiers of Mohammad) would stage attacks on representations of countries supporting the United States to back the resistance to the United States in Iraq.
(BRC) 21.11.2003