ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on July 29th, 2008. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET
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FIVE-HOUR TETE-A-TETE MEETING IN CUKURAMBAR
President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a five-hour tete-a-tete meeting at the residence of Mehmet Tekelioglu, a deputy from the Justice and Development (AK) Party, in Cukurambar district of Ankara the previous day. Gul and Erdogan had a meeting 12 hours before the Constitutional Court began hearing the closure case filed against AK Party.
"WE STAND BY TURKEY"
After the two bombings in Gungoren district of Istanbul, several countries and organizations released messages condemning the attacks. The European Commission said it fully supported Turkey in its fight against terrorism. NATO Secretary General strongly denounced bomb attacks in Istanbul and gave message of solidarity. The United States said it was deeply saddened by the incident in Istanbul and ready to extend every kind of assistance to Turkey.
MILLIYET
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LOOK, YOU KILLED THEM!
One of them was an unborn baby, one them was a three-year-old. The villainous bomb claimed lives of 17 people including five children. Aleyna Celik was getting ready to celebrate her 4th birthday on July 30th. She and her four-year-old cousin were out that night to have an ice-cream. That villainous bomb killed them.
Seyma Ozkan was a twelve-year-old student. She went out to their balcony to see what happened in front of their home after the first blast. She was hit by a shrapnel after rushing with her parents to the balcony of their apartment to see what was going on after the first explosion.
Filiz Ikiz was expecting a baby in 15 days. She and her husband were out to shop for their baby. She and her unborn child died in the explosion.
SUSPECTS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO SILIVRI JAIL
The High Criminal Court has decided to transfer all arrested suspects (47 people) of the Ergenekon probe to the jail in Silivri. The trial will be held at the same jail.
A CHORUS OF 40 THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR METALLICA
Worldwide famous heavy metal band Metallica has given its third concert in Istanbul. Nearly 40 thousand fans wearing the black t-shirts of the band watched the concert at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium. Members of the band admired the audience's performance.
SABAH
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AIM OF BOMB IS TO CAUSE FRATERNAL FIGHTING
Whether they are planted by the terrorist organization PKK or another terrorist organization, the aim of bombs targeting innocent people is the same: To cause ethnic conflict. Death toll rose to 17 after two bombs exploded in Istanbul's Gungoren neighborhood on Sunday night. 50 people have been injured and are under medical care at hospitals. Seven of them are in serious condition. Experts say that the bomb resembled those earlier planted by the terrorist organization PKK. The real aim of the attack was to cause chaos and domestic clashes, like the days before the military intervention on September 12th, 1980.
Prosecutors wrote about this heinous intrigue in the "Ergenekon" indictment. They said, "Like the separatist terrorist organization PKK, Ergenekon terrorist organization intends to incite Turkish-Kurdish clash throughout the country, and divide Turkey."
ATTACK CONDEMNED
All the world condemned Gungoren bombings and gave the message that they were standing by Turkey in its fight against terrorism. Many countries, from the United States to Russia and from European Union (EU) members to Israel, condemned Sunday's bomb attacks in Istanbul. The United States said that killing of innocent people could not be justified, whereas Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev offered his condolences. Israel, Italy, Spain and Germany said that they were supporting Turkey's fight against terrorism.
VATAN
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A SPANISH CALL
Turkey's main opposition party's leader Deniz Baykal has called everyone to join a "national condemnation rally" against the acts of terror just like the one in Spain. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed his proposal. Nearly 11.5 million people held a rally in Spain to condemn killing of 191 people in al Qaida's bomb attacks on trains in Madrid on March 11th, 2004.
TRAITOR'S PHYSICAL APPEARANCE DETERMINED
The police have determined the physical appearance of the terrorist who carried out the double bomb attacks in Istanbul. According to witnesses, the traitor aged about 20-25 was wearing a green t-shirt. He was bearded. The police could not find any image after investigating security cameras in the area.
The police said that the attack bore the hallmarks of the PKK terrorist on basis of the style of the attack and use of the RDX explosive.
On the other hand, the PKK denied any involvement in the attack, and put the blame on "Ergenekon".
CUMHURIYET
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IT IS TIME TO REACT
Gungoren massacre angered Turkish people and political circles. Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the day was a day of unity and solidarity. "The closer we stand against terrorism and the more we hang together, the more successful we will be in combatting terrorism," he said. Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), said that Turkey should set a "national condemnation policy". "Millions of people should out loud condemn those who stage these attacks," Baykal also said. Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, the chief of General Staff, also harshly condemned those who staged the heinous attack.
EXPERTS POINT PKK
Istanbul governor said that experts had seen a link between the bombings in Gungoren and the separatist terrorist organization. Ercan Citlioglu, the head of the Strategic Researches Center in Bahcesehir University, said that the attack had nothing to do with recent developments. Citlioglu said that the terrorist organization, stuck in the rural area, was trying to prove itself. Also, terror expert Nihat Ali Ozcan said that the PKK might not claim responsibility for the attack, but it was a high possibility that the bombings were staged by the terrorist organization PKK.
RADIKAL
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PROVOCATION DAYS
When Turkey has been going through tense days, Turkish and foreign authorities strongly condemned bomb attacks in Gungoren district in Istanbul that killed 18 people. Authorities signalled that terrorist organization PKK might be behind the attacks. No one claimed the responsibility for the attacks.
TOP COURT TO CONTINUE HEARING CLOSURE CASE
Constitutional Court convened on Monday to make a verdict on the closure case filed against the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party. The gathering lasted for 12 hours. The court board will convene every day until they reach a decision.
TURKIYE
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DAY FOR UNION
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that if the nation could maintain its solidarity, Turkey could succeed in its fight against terrorism.
Following Sunday night's double bomb attacks in Istanbul, President Abdullah Gul said that terrorism could not intimidate Turkish people.
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal called Turkish people to display a joint reaction since heinous attack was staged for political purposes.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that Turkey should fight against terrorism targeting the union and tranquillity of Turkish people by living aside all personal political interests.
General Staff Chief Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that the attacks showed once again the gory face, ruthlessness and despair of terrorism, and expressed his belief that those who carried out that inhuman bombing would be arrested and brought to justice to account for their acts.
WORLD CONDEMNS
The European Union has described the Istanbul bombing which claimed 17 lives, as despicable. The European Commission said that Turkey could count on the support of the EU. Spain sent a message and extended full support to Turkey in its fight against terrorism. NATO and Italy also condemned the attacks, and said that they would continue to stand in solidarity with the Turkish people in the fight against terrorism. The United States also extended its support to Turkey in its fight.
TURKISH FLAGS EVERYWHERE
Residents in Istanbul's Gungoren district where two bomb attacks killed 17 people and injured more than 100 others, hung flags on their windows to display their reaction to traitors.
ZAMAN
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PEOPLE GIVE BEST RESPONSE TO TERRORISM
A funeral took place for the people who died in bomb attacks in Gungoren district of Istanbul. The people condemned terrorism with Turkish flags they hung from their windows. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences to families of those who died in Istanbul bombings during the funeral.
DECISION TO AFFECT TURKEY'S FUTURE
The decision making process has begun in regard to the closure case against the ruling Justice & Development (AK) Party. Rapporteur Osman Can's report was read out in the first gathering of the Constitutional Court. The gathering lasted for 11 hours. In regard to the closure case, British Financial Times said the decision would shape the future of Turkey.
YENI SAFAK
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WHO IS THIS MAN?
A child recorded the bomb site from the balcony of his house after a heinous attack that killed 18 and wounded more than 150 in Istanbul's Gungoren neighborhood on Sunday night. The child recorded the scene on his cell phone, and police examined the video. The police saw that a person around 20 and wearing a black shirt was running away from the scene only five seconds before the second explosion. Police are searching for this person who is thought to have detonated the remote-control bomb.
ERGENEKON PRISON
Under a decision of the court that will hear the Ergenekon case, defendants were transferred to a maximum-security prison in Silivri where hearings will take place. Dogu Perincek, Veli Kucuk, Muzaffer Tekin and Kemal Kerincsiz, who are actually in Kandira prison, will also be sent to Silivri. The first hearing will begin at 9 a.m. on October 20th. Hearings will continue every day.
TODAY IS A DAY OF UNITY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the bomb site in Gungoren. Erdogan said Turkey had been countering terrorism for 35 years. "The closer we stand against terrorism and the more we hang together, the more successful we will be in combatting terrorism," he said.
(UK-EÖ-BRC-MS)