A bomb detonated outside a crowded shopping mall in the Turkish
capital, Ankara, on Tuesday leaving six dead and over 80
injured.
The private NTV television channel quoted police sources as
reporting that the explosion was caused by A-4 plastic explosives,
commonly used by the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who visited the
scene of explosion in Ulus district, strongly condemned the
bombing.
"We have seen a vicious, ruthless terror attack at Ankara's
busiest time. Although our security forces have taken all necessary
measures, this event occurred," Erdogan said.
Erdogan noted that security forces were searching the rubble for
clues.
The PKK, which was listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey,
the United States and the European Union, have staged similar
attacks targeting civilians in the past.
"The explosion ... revealed once again that we all should unite
against terrorism. We have to create a global platform against
terrorism," Erdogan stressed.
According to the semi-official Anatolia news agency, eight
Pakistani nationals, who were in Ankara to attend the Eighth
International Defense Industry Fair, are among the injured.
However, none of them are in critical condition.
Turkish Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit said that the
blast was caused by an organized terrorist organization.
Following his visit to injured people in Ankara's Hacettepe
Hospital, Buyukanit told reporters that the incident shook him,
adding that he thought it was not a common crime when he saw the
scene of explosion, the Anatolia news agency reported.
"We have to focus on those who are behind this terrorist
organization. We have to look at those who feed terrorist
organizations. I will not say another word," Buyukanit said.
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A crisis center was established at the Ankara Governor's Office
upon directives of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the
explosion, Anatolia said.
Meanwhile, Turkish Red Crescent urgently sent 150 units of blood
to hospitals.
The Red Crescent also deployed specialized psychologists and
emergency situation experts at the scene of the explosion.
Moreover, Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister
Mehmet Ali Sahin said that all security forces were on alert.
According to Anatolia, a suspect person was detained in
connection with the explosion.
The attack came as security forces launched a large-scale
military operation against the Kurdish rebels in the country's
eastern and southeastern regions.
More than 30,000 people have been killed since the group
launched an armed campaign for an ethnic homeland in the mainly
Kurdish southeastern Turkey in 1984.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2007)
