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CNN Live Saturday
Turkish Police Arrest Man Suspected Of Planning Synagogue Bombings
Aired November 29, 2003 - 12:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: But, next in Istanbul, a possible breakthrough in a terrorism investigation. Police say they've arrested a man who claims he had a role in one of the twin attacks on synagogues. The blast, two weeks ago today, killed nearly two dozen people. The latest from CNN's Mike Boettcher in Istanbul.
And Mike, how big a player do they authorities believe this man could have been?
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kelly, it could possibly be a very big breakthrough and it appears that he ordered at least one attacks, here in Turkey. Now, this man was arrested three days ago as he was trying to cross from Turkey into Iran, in a far eastern Turkish province called Augree (PH). He was arrested because he had a false passport and false identification and police had been tipped off that he was making his way in that direction.
Now, it was revealed this morning he was arrested. When he showed up with police, he was in handcuffs. He looked to be about 30 years old. He was at the Beth Israel synagogue, one of the synagogues attacked in Istanbul and according to the assistant police chief in Istanbul, he told them that he had done reconnaissance on this particular synagogue, that he had taken the suicide bomber there and then he had ordered the attack.
Now, a total of about 20 people have been arrested in connection with this bombing. They are associated, according to police here, with various Islamic groups, radical groups in southeastern Turkey which are associated with groups in Iraq who have been attacking coalition forces there. And, many Turkish officials and officials in the anti-terror coalition believe that Turkey is not a new front on the war in terrorism, but rather this is a -- an extension of the war in Iraq into Turkey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOETTCHER (voice-over): Few in Turkey believe they have seen the last of terrorism. Security forces are on highest alert. Trucks and vans, like the ones used in the four suicide attacks here, are often stopped and searched. But, rather than just a new front in the war on terrorism, there is growing belief among security and intelligence officials in the region that Turkey has become embroiled in Iraq's expanding terrorism battlefield.
Among those detained by Turkish authorities in connection with the bombings here, are members of two radical Islamic groups, Turkish Hezbollah and Beit Imam (PH). Intelligence officials in the region believe both groups have strong ties to what is considered by American authorities to be the most dangerous terrorist group operating in Iraq, Ansar al-Islam. Turkish author and terrorism expert, Emin Demeirel, has long followed the growth of Turkish Hezbollah and its associates.
EMIN DEMEIREL, TURKISH TERRORISM EXPERT (through translator): They help each other providing intelligence camps, training, and weapons. It's a very normal that Islamic groups cooperate with each other.
BOETTCHER: The link between Turkish and Iraqi terrorist groups, according to antiterrorism coalition intelligence sources, is this man, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a close associate of Osama bin Laden. A Jordanian born terrorist, he is one of the U.S.'s most wanted with a $5 million price tag on his head. Zarqawi operates his own network and is, according to U.S. intelligence sources, directing his operations from Iran.
There is strong belief among the region's counter terrorism officials that Zarqawi is directing the expansion of terrorist operations in Iraq to neighboring nations that are U.S. allies, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. CNN has learned that Middle East security services have already detected suspected terrorists associated with Zarqawi attempting to smuggle surface to air missiles like these out of Iraq and into neighboring countries. The Turkish terrorism expert, Demeirel, sees a clear message being delivered to Turkey.
DEMEIREL (through translator): Those who did the work have relationships with al-Qaeda. This is totally parallel to the war in Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOETTCHER: Turkish authorities are very hopeful that the arrest of this newest suspect willing help unravel who was behind these four attacks in Istanbul -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Mike Boettcher, thank you very much. The latest on that terrorism investigation in Turkey.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Bombings>
Aired November 29, 2003 - 12:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: But, next in Istanbul, a possible breakthrough in a terrorism investigation. Police say they've arrested a man who claims he had a role in one of the twin attacks on synagogues. The blast, two weeks ago today, killed nearly two dozen people. The latest from CNN's Mike Boettcher in Istanbul.
And Mike, how big a player do they authorities believe this man could have been?
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Kelly, it could possibly be a very big breakthrough and it appears that he ordered at least one attacks, here in Turkey. Now, this man was arrested three days ago as he was trying to cross from Turkey into Iran, in a far eastern Turkish province called Augree (PH). He was arrested because he had a false passport and false identification and police had been tipped off that he was making his way in that direction.
Now, it was revealed this morning he was arrested. When he showed up with police, he was in handcuffs. He looked to be about 30 years old. He was at the Beth Israel synagogue, one of the synagogues attacked in Istanbul and according to the assistant police chief in Istanbul, he told them that he had done reconnaissance on this particular synagogue, that he had taken the suicide bomber there and then he had ordered the attack.
Now, a total of about 20 people have been arrested in connection with this bombing. They are associated, according to police here, with various Islamic groups, radical groups in southeastern Turkey which are associated with groups in Iraq who have been attacking coalition forces there. And, many Turkish officials and officials in the anti-terror coalition believe that Turkey is not a new front on the war in terrorism, but rather this is a -- an extension of the war in Iraq into Turkey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOETTCHER (voice-over): Few in Turkey believe they have seen the last of terrorism. Security forces are on highest alert. Trucks and vans, like the ones used in the four suicide attacks here, are often stopped and searched. But, rather than just a new front in the war on terrorism, there is growing belief among security and intelligence officials in the region that Turkey has become embroiled in Iraq's expanding terrorism battlefield.
Among those detained by Turkish authorities in connection with the bombings here, are members of two radical Islamic groups, Turkish Hezbollah and Beit Imam (PH). Intelligence officials in the region believe both groups have strong ties to what is considered by American authorities to be the most dangerous terrorist group operating in Iraq, Ansar al-Islam. Turkish author and terrorism expert, Emin Demeirel, has long followed the growth of Turkish Hezbollah and its associates.
EMIN DEMEIREL, TURKISH TERRORISM EXPERT (through translator): They help each other providing intelligence camps, training, and weapons. It's a very normal that Islamic groups cooperate with each other.
BOETTCHER: The link between Turkish and Iraqi terrorist groups, according to antiterrorism coalition intelligence sources, is this man, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a close associate of Osama bin Laden. A Jordanian born terrorist, he is one of the U.S.'s most wanted with a $5 million price tag on his head. Zarqawi operates his own network and is, according to U.S. intelligence sources, directing his operations from Iran.
There is strong belief among the region's counter terrorism officials that Zarqawi is directing the expansion of terrorist operations in Iraq to neighboring nations that are U.S. allies, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. CNN has learned that Middle East security services have already detected suspected terrorists associated with Zarqawi attempting to smuggle surface to air missiles like these out of Iraq and into neighboring countries. The Turkish terrorism expert, Demeirel, sees a clear message being delivered to Turkey.
DEMEIREL (through translator): Those who did the work have relationships with al-Qaeda. This is totally parallel to the war in Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOETTCHER: Turkish authorities are very hopeful that the arrest of this newest suspect willing help unravel who was behind these four attacks in Istanbul -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Mike Boettcher, thank you very much. The latest on that terrorism investigation in Turkey.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Bombings>
