PanARMENIAN.Net
45 al-Qaeda members detained in Istanbul over terror plot
05.04.2008 13:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish security forces have
arrested 45 people suspected of being members of an
al-Qaeda terror cell.
According to authorities, the group was planning to
carry out attacks, though the targets or the form of
the attacks was not revealed, RIA Novosti reports.
Bomb attacks shocked Istanbul November 15, 2003 and
November 20, 2003. 57 people died in the attacks, and
700 were wounded.
Al-Qaeda later claimed responsibility for both
attacks. Some captured suspects said that Osama bin
Laden himself ordered the attacks, but had wanted to
hit a U.S. military base in Turkey. Al-Qaeda was
reportedly disappointed that so many Muslims had died
in the bombings.
Turkey charged 74 people with involvement in the
bombings, including Syrians Loai al-Saqa and Hamid
Obysi, and a Turk, Harun Ilhan. Al-Saqa and Ilhan were
convicted and sentenced to life in prison.