Al Qaeda Suspected In U.S. Embassy Attack

Deadly Gunbattle Outside Consulate In Istanbul Work Of Terrorist Group, Turkish Police Say

(CBS/AP)  Suspected al Qaeda militants armed with pistols and shotguns attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, sparking a gunbattle that left three attackers and three officers dead.

Turkish and U.S. officials publicly labeled the shooting a terrorist attack and a police official in Istanbul told The Associated Press that authorities suspected al Qaeda was behind it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief journalists on the investigation.

A Taliban commander close to al Qaeda told CBS News' Sami Yousafzai that cells in Turkey have become more potent and are becoming a bridge between al Qaeda camps in tribal areas and Europe.

The U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Turkey's foreign ministry said security around all American diplomatic missions in Turkey had been increased.

Yavuz Erkut Yuksel, a bystander, told CNN-Turk television the attackers emerged from a vehicle and surprised the guard.

"One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head," Yuksel said.

Footage from a security camera at the site showed four armed and bearded men emerging from a car and killing a traffic policeman, then running toward a guard post some 50 yards away as other policemen fired back, the Dogan news agency reported.

The shootout caused panic and scattered people who were waiting in a line for visas. U.S. security personnel went inside the compound because they are not authorized to engage in armed action on Turkish soil, Dogan said.

A fourth policeman and the driver of a towing vehicle were wounded in the attack, Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler said.

The governor added that the gate outside the consulate was full with people waiting to collect U.S. visas and said that gunmen, knowing they could not enter the consulate, approached the building with an aim to assault, reports CBS associate producer Erhan Yarar in Istanbul.

U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson said the consul general in Istanbul, Sharon Wiener, told him that that consulate staff were "safe and accounted for."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that she did not know who was responsible and for the attack and she would soon talk with Turkey's foreign minister.

"Obviously first of all the United States deeply regrets the loss of life and condolences go out to the families of those who were killed," Rice saida as she traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia. "I know that some policemen were among those who died and we very much appreciate what was clearly a very rapid and proper response from the government to try to deal with the security situation in front of our consulate."

At least two of the attackers were Turkish nationals, Guler said. Police said they were pursuing at least one attacker who escaped in a car after the attack outside the high-walled consulate compound in the residential Istinye district around 11 a.m.

NTV television, citing police sources, said officials feared the car might be loaded with explosives. Police would not confirm that report.

Interior Minister Besir Atalay said at the scene that there had been no claim of responsibility and police would not reveal the identities of the attackers and their possible affiliations for the sake of the investigation.

Television footage showed four people lying on the ground at the foot of the consulate's wall before officials removed the bodies.

"The Turkish police responded quickly and effectively. We are deeply grateful for the work that they do to protect our official U.S. government establishments here," Wilson said. "It is, of course, inappropriate now to speculate on who may have done this or why. It is an obvious act of terrorism. Our countries will stand together and confront this, as we have in the past."

The secure U.S. consulate building was built after homegrown Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda carried out suicide bombings in 2003 that targeted two synagogues, the British Consulate and a British bank in Istanbul. Those attacks killed 58 people.

"There is no doubt that this is a terrorist attack," said Guler, who described the three slain policemen as "martyred."

The shooting coincided with the visit to Istanbul of top American officials involved in the fight against illegal drugs. Michele Leonhart, acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Scott Burns, deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, were attending an anti-drug conference in another part of Istanbul Wednesday morning. It was not clear if they had planned to visit the consulate but visiting U.S. delegations almost always visit diplomatic missions.

Istanbul prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin said the attackers were armed with pistols and shotguns. Forensic teams were seen examining a shotgun on the ground.

The consulate occupies an imposing structure on a hill in Istinye, a densely residential neighborhood along the Bosporus Strait on the European side of Istanbul.

A reporter for The Associated Press who visited the consulate last week drove unimpeded past an entrance for the public and parked on a residential street two blocks away. The area directly in front of the entrance was kept clear of vehicles.

Several guards stood in separate locations outside the entrance, but weapons were not on display; Turkish civilians seeking visas and other documents sat at cafes across the street.

[dumbocrat]

Dumbocrat wrote:

"1988 - 2000 Bush Sr and Clinton do very little. Islamic Fundamentalist gain strength and spreads worldwide. Muslims blow up the WTC for the first time, several US embassies, Air Force Barracks and a US warship."

Israelis have attacked a US Warship before - killing 34 US servicemen and wounding at least 170 more.

Are you suggesting that we also attack Israel?


Posted by mcdazz at 10:28 PM : Jul 09, 2008

Oh yes, the Israeli conspiracy against America. ha ha lol

You are a complete idiot. Maybe I should change my view on abortion. If your mamma would have had one, you would not be here today posting nonsense!

[feelfree4u]

Why did they replace the oily faced greedster in the Exxon-Mobil ad, with an awkward transvestite?

[feelfree4u]

Bigfoot may have been "linked" to this latest al-CIA''duh attack.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Thank you for defeating your own argument and giving your full-hearted support to mine."

:-):-):-)

Posted by juwboy


You had an argument?

[juwboy]

FeelFreek4U:

Thank you for defeating your own argument and giving your full-hearted support to mine.

:-):-):-)

[feelfree4u]

juwboy,

You must have a deep contempt for Jewish people, to make such consistently hateful, ignorant, and stupid comments under the screen-name of "juwboy".

[juwboy]

FeelFreek4U:

If Jews (2% of our total population) "have such disproportionate influence on our affairs", as you claim, then you are admitting that Gentile-Americans are too weak, ineffective and limp-wristed to look after their own affairs and have only themselves to blame for giving up control of their own destinies.

What a HUMILIATING admission to make!!!

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Gentile-Americans outnumber Jewish-Americans by about 50-to-1."

I''m not sure why you are telling me this. I did not mention Jews.

That is a good point though. Why should a religious group making up only 2% of our total population, have such disproportionate influence on our affairs?

It does not make sense.

[juwboy]

FeelFreek4U, a subhuman Arab jihadist, posing as a patriotic American, referred to the "...AIPAC controlled U.S. news-o-tainment industry".

Gentile-Americans outnumber Jewish-Americans by about 50-to-1.

Gentile-Americans outnumber Jews worldwide by about 20-to-1.

Gentiles outnumber Jews worldwide by almost 400-to-1.

So, if Jews control the U.S. news and entertainment industries, FeelFreek4U is saying that an infinitesimal fraction of a Jew is more than a match for an entire weak, ineffective, limp-wristed Gentile like FeelFreek4U him/herself.

What a HUMILIATING admission for FeelFreek4U to make!!!

[oneworldusa]

Maybe with Verizon''s et al. wiretapping they can find all of Al Qaeda and blow them to smithereens. Make martyrs of all of them, every single one. Give them their wish, but on our terms, not theirs.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "The treatment of criminals by the Turkish police makes Guantanamo Bay look like a Holiday Spa."

Posted by yongamerica


Sounds like they''ll be able to torture them into "admitting" whatever they want them to admit then.

I don''t understand, however, how torture and lengthy, and usually wrongful and harsh imprisonment without charge, could ever be described as a "Holiday Spa", regardless of who is doing the torturing.

On what basis are you making this comparison?

[yongamerica]

This article doesn''t mentioned the attackers that were captured and are being thoroughly interrogated by The Turkish police. The treatment of criminals by the Turkish police makes Guantanamo Bay look like a Holiday Spa.

[feelfree4u]

RE: "...militants armed with pistols and shotguns attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, sparking a gunbattle that left three attackers and three officers dead."


Sounds like Blackwater, or al-Mossad''duh.

It has all the hallmarks.

[fightfascism]

oh no, the "liberals" -like Washington and Revere and Franklin? *** those liberals! Hey, at least they weren''t scared of a bunch of religious fanatic sand dwellers -as you seem to be. if the republicommies scare you with more camel riders, will you give up more of your rights?

[libsluv2spit]

its amazing to see how the liberals are desperatly trying to soften the attack...just read thier posts..

[barocalto]

My support for Senator Obama''s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal," he said in his statement

But let me at your balls.

[anecdote1]

"Al Qaeda Suspected In U.S. Embassy Attack"

Isn''t this exactly what republicans wanted to improve McCains chances at getting elected? I wonder if it works.

Barocalto = idiot.

Dumbocrat wrote:

"1988 - 2000 Bush Sr and Clinton do very little. Islamic Fundamentalist gain strength and spreads worldwide. Muslims blow up the WTC for the first time, several US embassies, Air Force Barracks and a US warship."

Israelis have attacked a US Warship before - killing 34 US servicemen and wounding at least 170 more.

Are you suggesting that we also attack Israel?

Hang on for just one minute.

Republicanazis have been telling me that GW Bush has kept Americans safe - despite repeated attacks against US interests in other parts of the world.

Are they - gasp - lying?

Republicanazis wouldn''t lie would they?