VAN - Death toll rose to five in explosion in eastern province of Van on Friday, Governor Hikmet Tan said.
Governor Tan, who underwent health control and then visited the injured, told reporters that he was the target of the attack.
Tan said that five people were killed and 24 others were injured in the explosion on a lorry containing bombs.
Governor Tan noted that no organization or person had claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that officials would make a detailed statement within two hours.
In the meantime, Van Police Chief Tacettin Kurt said that investigation continued to define the nature of the bomb which caused the blast on Van`s Ordu Street.
Kurt said, ``we haven`t yet understood whether the bomb was placed under a vehicle or the explosion was caused by a vehicle containing bombs. Bomb experts continue their investigation at the scene of the blast.``
Sources said that other suspicious packages found on Ordu Street were defused by bomb experts, but it was revealed that there were no explosives in the packages.
There was an explosion on Van`s Ordu Street around 9.15 a.m. when Governor Tan`s vehicle was passing by. Tan was unhurt.
Officials said that seven of the injured were in critical condition, and identified two dead as M. Hanifi Yildiz and Huseyin Gulece. Efforts were under way to identify the other victims of the blast.
Tan`s vehicle and surrounding workplaces were damaged in the explosion.
EXPERTS DEFINE BOMB USED IN BLAST IN VAN AS REMOTE-CONTROLLED FRAGMENTATION BOMB
Experts said that the bomb used on attack on Van Governor Hikmet Tan earlier on Friday was a remote-controlled fragmentation bomb.
Sources told A.A correspondent that the bomb was loaded on a car belonging to a person working in Van Municipality, named Zulkuf Coban.
The same sources said that Coban, who was detained, told police that he sold the vehicle a month ago, but security officials have not made public the name of the person who bought the KIA car and are currently searching for this person.
A second suspicious package, found at the scene of the blast was defused, but it was revealed that it did not contain any explosives.
Five people were killed and 24 others were injured in the explosion on the KIA car parked on Van`s Ordu Street around 9.15 a.m. when Governor Tan was going to his office. He was unhurt in the blast.
Earlier, Tan said that he was the target of the attack. He noted that no organization or person had claimed responsibility for the attack, adding that officials would make a detailed statement within two hours.
Officials said that seven of the injured were in critical condition, and identified two dead as M. Hanifi Yildiz and Huseyin Gulece. Efforts were under way to identify the other victims of the blast.
(BRC-ULG) 02.07.2004