Attack at US Istanbul consulate

[Eugene]

Source: BBC News

Page last updated at 09:39 GMT, Wednesday, 9 July 2008 10:39 UK

Attack at US Istanbul consulate

Three policemen and three gunmen have been killed in an armed
attack near the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul,
its governor has said.

The identity of the attackers is still unclear, but they are said
to have begun shooting at police outside the main entrance at
1000 (0800 GMT).

The ensuing gun battle, which lasted for at least seven minutes,
is reported to have left several others injured.

There are no reports of any injuries to staff working in the
consulate itself.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7497049.stm

[bemildred]

1. At least six killed in shootout at U.S. consulate in Istanbul

Armed men attacked a police guard post outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, an assault that Istanbul's governor said killed three attackers and three policemen.

A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said there were no reports of casualties among American consulate employees, but could not confirm Turkish media reports of injuries and deaths.

Sky News reported that a driver who brought the attackers to the consulate managed to flee the scene. "Three policemen were martyred and three attackers were killed," Istanbul Province Governor Muammer Guler told reporters at the scene, adding that authorities were pressing to identify the attackers and any group to which they belonged.

At about 11 a.m., at least one assailant opened fire on the Turkish police guard post area near the main entrance to the consulate, the U.S. embassy spokeswoman said, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1000490.html

[Hugabear]

2. Without even waiting for an investigation, they're already calling this terrorism

Our ambassador to Turkey is already on record claiming that this is an act of terrorism.

Could be, but might it not be prudent to wait for the facts to come in?

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Tricky to see an organised attack on a consulate in any other way

I mean, it's not exactly the first choice of target for an armed robbery, is it?

[bemildred]

4. There are other possibilities:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_bombing_of_the_Chinese_embassy_in_Belgrade

[sabra]

5. MSNBC: Turkish police suspect al-Qaida is behind attack at U.S. Consulate in Istanbul

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

BREAKING NEWS: Turkish police suspect al-Qaida is behind attack at U.S. Consulate in Istanbul