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CNN Live Today
Uncertainty of Future Attacks in Turkey
Aired November 21, 2003 - 11:03 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And now north, to Turkey, where several people are in custody today after two massive suicide attacks there. CNN's Mike Boettcher joining us live in Istanbul with the very latest on the investigation. Hello, Mike.
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi. Well, this is a very interesting time here in Istanbul. We're approaching a holy section of the Muslim calendar as we approach the end of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid occurs.
And at the same time, the people in this city wonder if that's it? Will there be more attacks? We thought that the attacks would stop after the attacks on the synagogues. But yet there were two more attacks yesterday. Well that is the reason the Turkish National Security Council met today to try to figure out how to prevent more attacks.
Now, local sources tell us that they were considering more than 1,000 people in this country who they believe received training at al Qaeda training camps over the past few years. They're trying to figure out how to deal with this problem. They believe some of those people could be future potential terrorists. Although they say only a fraction of them are actually Turkish.
Now, at the same time they consider security measures. Istanbul buried and dead today. There were a total of 28 killed, most killed were Muslims, the others British, at the British consulate. But the Muslims were buried today.
As I say we approach what is supposed to be a time of the year, a very holy time of the year followed by a celebration after this month of fasting. As well, in various hospitals around this region, in Istanbul, many of the 450 who were wounded have been released, but there's still some critically injured people who are still in hospital and they are trying to save their lives so that death toll does not raise above the 28 number that we have right now -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Mike Boettcher joining us live from Istanbul today, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 21, 2003 - 11:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And now north, to Turkey, where several people are in custody today after two massive suicide attacks there. CNN's Mike Boettcher joining us live in Istanbul with the very latest on the investigation. Hello, Mike.
MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi. Well, this is a very interesting time here in Istanbul. We're approaching a holy section of the Muslim calendar as we approach the end of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid occurs.
And at the same time, the people in this city wonder if that's it? Will there be more attacks? We thought that the attacks would stop after the attacks on the synagogues. But yet there were two more attacks yesterday. Well that is the reason the Turkish National Security Council met today to try to figure out how to prevent more attacks.
Now, local sources tell us that they were considering more than 1,000 people in this country who they believe received training at al Qaeda training camps over the past few years. They're trying to figure out how to deal with this problem. They believe some of those people could be future potential terrorists. Although they say only a fraction of them are actually Turkish.
Now, at the same time they consider security measures. Istanbul buried and dead today. There were a total of 28 killed, most killed were Muslims, the others British, at the British consulate. But the Muslims were buried today.
As I say we approach what is supposed to be a time of the year, a very holy time of the year followed by a celebration after this month of fasting. As well, in various hospitals around this region, in Istanbul, many of the 450 who were wounded have been released, but there's still some critically injured people who are still in hospital and they are trying to save their lives so that death toll does not raise above the 28 number that we have right now -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Mike Boettcher joining us live from Istanbul today, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com