ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 23, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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CERRAH FINDS RESPONSIBLE OF ISTANBUL BOMBINGS
Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah, who could not prevent the second twin bombings in Istanbul, put the blame on media. Speaking at the funeral for policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, who lost their lives in Thursday's bombings in Istanbul while working as guards at the British Consulate General, Cerrah said, ''if our press had acted with understanding of responsibility, our 27 citizens would have not been killed. The press has revealed the suspects and their connections with foreign terrorist networks.'' Upon his statement, Press Council Chairman Oktay Eksi reacted him, saying, ''Mr. Cerrah has overstepped the limits. Instead of criticizing the press, Mr. Cerrah should have sought the ways to inform the press correctly.''
EXPLOSION IN COAL MINE
A total of ten miners were trapped in a coal mine following a methane gas explosion in Ermenek town of central province of Karaman. Rescue teams rushed to the coal mine and saved one miner. Later, the bodies of three others were pulled out. Search and rescue efforts have been continuing to find the other miners. Governor Ismet Metin said that the three bodies were severely charred from the explosion. A 14-member team, trained in mine rescue, arrived in Karaman early Sunday by helicopter. Families gathered outside the area waiting for news of their loved ones.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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SHORTCOMINGS IN INTELLIGENCE
National Security Council (NSC) discussed latest attacks which took place in Istanbul. The meeting of NSC focused on terrorist attacks in Istanbul. It was said in the meeting that there is shortcoming in coordination between National Intelligence Organization (MIT), police and gendarme units. NSC also reached consensus on the issue that there is also some deficiencies in gathering intelligence. NSC decided that sub-working groups should be formed to prevent those kind of attacks and also took a decision that Turkey should work together with foreign intelligence organizations.
ARMITAGE SAYS TURKEY AND UNITED STATES BECAME CLOSER
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has said that the civilized societies including Turkey and the United States had come closer to each other following terrorist attacks in Istanbul which claimed 52 lives in the aggregate. Armitage attended a program on a TV channel and said that new attacks could be staged. When reminded that General Basbug said earlier that the United States was planning an action against the terrorist organization of PKK/KADEK in northern Iraq, Armitage stressed that PKK/KADEK was a terrorist organization and it could not be allowed to survive.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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SILENT ANGER AGAINST TERRORISM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and some ministers attended a ceremony, which was held at Istanbul's Harbiye Muhsin Ertugrul Theater on Saturday out of respect to Kerem Yilmazer, a leading actor who lost his live in Thursday's blasts. A ceremony was also held in the Provincial Directorate of Security out of respect to policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, who lost their lives in Thursday's bombings in Istanbul while working as guards at the British Consulate General. Tens of thousands of people attended demonstrations which were held throughout the country to protest terrorist attacks which occurred in Istanbul on November 15 and 20.
CERRAH BLAMES MEDIA FOR KILLING OF PEOPLE IN TERRORIST ATTACKS
Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah claimed that media was responsible for killing of people in blasts in Istanbul. Stating that media and press organs which did not act by taking into consideration their responsibilities declared suspects and their connection, he said that if those organs had fulfilled their responsibilities, those people would have not been killed. Cerrah said, ''we have identified assailants in a very short time, as we did in the first incident.'' A ceremony was held in the Provincial Directorate of Security on Saturday out of respect to policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, who lost their lives in Thursday's bombings in Istanbul while working as guards at the British Consulate General. Cerrah who delivered a speech at the ceremony said that Turkish police and Turkish Republic were standing against those who wanted to destroy the state and nation and who could not endure unity of the country.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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''HEZBOLLAH HAS THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS''
Recent bomb attacks in Istanbul have brought the issue of fundamentalist organizations on top of the agenda once again. Both Turkey and the world have begun discussing the powers behind these gory attacks. About two years ago, Abdulaziz Tunc, a member of the fundamentalist terror organization, confessed during his interrogation at the Anti-Terrorism Department that thousands of militants had applied to the organization to act as suicide bombers. Tunc also said that thousands of others had donated their worldly possessions to the organization.
''THE REAL PROBLEM IS INTELLIGENCE''
Latest bomb attacks in Istanbul topped agenda of Friday's meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). During the meeting, it was stressed that there was a serious lack of coordination among the intelligence services. The NSC proposed that a unit should be formed in the shortest period of time to provide the necessary coordination among these services.
SILENCE IN PROTESTS, TEARS IN FUNERALS
Non-governmental organizations held a silent protest throughout Turkey to raise their voices against suicide attacks in Istanbul and to give the message, ''peace against acts of violence and terrorism''. Thousands of people took streets to protest terrorism, war and occupation. They stressed that Turkey would not submit to terrorism. Meanwhile, policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, Kerem Yilmazer, Muzaffer Gultac Zeytinci, Toros Candan Avosavan and Kiraz and Cafer Gunduz, who lost their lives in Thursday's gory attacks, were laid to rest following tearful funerals.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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CERRAH OVERSTEPS THE LIMITS
Istanbul Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah has declared the press as the only responsible for terrorist attacks. Speaking at the funeral of policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin who lost their lives in Thursday's suicide attacks, Cerrah put the blame on the press, saying, ''unfortunately, the press has declared the suspects. If the press had acted with understanding of responsibility, 27 citizens would have not been killed. We were about the capture the suspects.'' While making this statement, Cerrah ignored that the news stories in the press, in fact, leaked from the Security Department. He also requested an amendment for media blackout.
''TURKEY IS THE NEW FRONT OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM''
U.S. President George W. Bush has said that Turkey became the new front of the international terrorism. Reminding that he had held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan following Thursday's bombings, President Bush reiterated that the United States was ready to extend all kinds of assistance to Turkey including exchange of intelligence. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder criticized a comment claiming that if Turkey was accepted as a member of the EU rapidly, it would brought forth terrorism into Europe. Schroeder stressed that making such a comment was immoral while people in Turkey had been waiting for Europe's support.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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TURKEY BECOMES SINGLE HEART
Many people participated in demonstrations in the country to protest terrorist attacks in Levent and Beyoglu districts of Istanbul. Thousands of people attended a ceremony which was held in the Provincial Directorate of Security out of respect to policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, who lost their lives in Thursday's bombings in Istanbul while working as guards at the British Consulate General. Many people who attended demonstrations held by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in many provinces of Turkey gave the message of unity.
PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD BE SENSITIVE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who criticized media due to attacks in Istanbul said that people should be more sensitive regarding fight against terrorism. Erdogan who attended funeral of policemen Huseyin Apaydin and Salih Capkin, who lost their lives in Thursday's bombings in Istanbul while working as guards at the British Consulate General said that he called for media to fulfil its responsibilities.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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''BOMB CANNOT SILENCE FREEDOM''
Some victims of Thursday's suicide attacks targeting the HSBC Bank and the British Consulate General in Istanbul were laid to rest yesterday. Speaking at the funeral , which was held at Istanbul's Harbiye Muhsin Ertugrul Theater out of respect to Kerem Yilmazer, a leading actor who lost his live in Thursday's blasts, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that bombs could not silence Turkish people's free life. Prime Minister Erdogan also paid a visit to the British Consulate General to offer his condolences.
(EÖ-UK) 23.11.2003