ANKARA (CIHAN) - The Turkish Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said that today`s blast in Ankara was the work of small marginal terrorist organizations. "They want to create panic and terror among the people. They want to give proof of their existence."
An explosion rattled the Hilton Hotel in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday morning, causing an upsurge in tension ahead of the visit of the US President George W. Bush to the city. Two police officers were wounded in the explosion. The blast has not yet been claimed by any organization.
The blast is the latest in a series of minor blasts across Turkey against Western interests.
Referring to the blast in Ankara, the Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül stated, "Turkey is a strong and secure country. Such blasts also occur in Washington and London."
Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Mehmet Ali Sahin told reporters that the government would step up security measures across Turkey ahead of the NATO Summit. He said that security measures for the NATO summit were not being exaggerated as claimed by some NGOs.
Security across Turkey is under the spotlight in the build-up to the NATO Summit to be held in Istanbul on June 28-29. Istanbul will be under air, sea and land security watch during the NATO summit.
Nearly three thousand delegates from 46 countries and 3500 journalists are expected to arrive in Turkey to follow the Summit.
Nearly 20 thousand security force personnel will be on duty during the summit.