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American Morning

Terror in Turkey

Aired November 21, 2003 - 08:33   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Several arrests have been made in connection with yesterday's terror bombings in Turkey. And the State Department is now urging Americans not to travel to that country. In less than a week, 50 people have been killed by bombs in Istanbul.
Mike Boettcher is in Istanbul for us this morning.

Mike, good morning.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Soledad.

As usual, if the State Department asks us not to be here, we're here. And we're continuing to try to conduct our investigation and monitor what Turkish authorities are doing. They're trying to do two things. No. 1, they're trying to find out who conducted these simultaneous attacks over the last six days. And No. 2, they're trying to prevent future attacks. Now, the security officials I've spoken to who are part of the anti-terrorism coalition say there is no doubt that all four of these attacks, the ones against the synagogues on Tuesday and yesterday's attack against the British consulate and the bank were conducted by Turks who had close affiliations with al Qaeda, not actually al Qaeda members, part of a radical spinner group in Turkey, but closely affiliated with al Qaeda, getting help and training from al Qaeda, as well.

Now in terms of their ability to try to stop the attacks, there is a national security council meeting going on in Ankara right now, and we are told that at that meeting, they're reviewing the files of about 1,000 people here in Turkey who received training in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Bosnia, from al Qaeda members and camps. So, this is a very difficult investigation, very difficult to stop this, but that is what is under way right now -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Reporting for us this morning, Mike, thanks so 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 - 08:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Several arrests have been made in connection with yesterday's terror bombings in Turkey. And the State Department is now urging Americans not to travel to that country. In less than a week, 50 people have been killed by bombs in Istanbul.
Mike Boettcher is in Istanbul for us this morning.

Mike, good morning.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Soledad.

As usual, if the State Department asks us not to be here, we're here. And we're continuing to try to conduct our investigation and monitor what Turkish authorities are doing. They're trying to do two things. No. 1, they're trying to find out who conducted these simultaneous attacks over the last six days. And No. 2, they're trying to prevent future attacks. Now, the security officials I've spoken to who are part of the anti-terrorism coalition say there is no doubt that all four of these attacks, the ones against the synagogues on Tuesday and yesterday's attack against the British consulate and the bank were conducted by Turks who had close affiliations with al Qaeda, not actually al Qaeda members, part of a radical spinner group in Turkey, but closely affiliated with al Qaeda, getting help and training from al Qaeda, as well.

Now in terms of their ability to try to stop the attacks, there is a national security council meeting going on in Ankara right now, and we are told that at that meeting, they're reviewing the files of about 1,000 people here in Turkey who received training in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Bosnia, from al Qaeda members and camps. So, this is a very difficult investigation, very difficult to stop this, but that is what is under way right now -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Reporting for us this morning, Mike, thanks so 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