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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Bulent Alizira
Aired November 15, 2003 - 09:19 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.
ROBERTS: And Heidi, as we're learning out of that report, still a very chaotic situation there on the streets. Details still continuing to come in. And again, in Turkey, about seven hours ago, simultaneous bombings near two Istanbul synagogues killed at least 16 people, nearly 150 others being treated for injuries sustained from those blasts.
The attacks occurred during Jewish Sabbath services. Turkish media reported that a radical Turkish Islamic group claimed responsibility.
Joining us now from Washington is an expert in Turkish politics and foreign policy. Bulent Alizira is director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and he joins us this morning to talk about the situation.
Sir, good morning, and thanks for joining us.
BULENT ALIZIRA, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Good morning.
ROBERTS: First off, let's talk about the synagogues here that were the targets, and also your reaction, having just come back from Turkey not too long ago. When you heard about this, what were your first thoughts?
ALIZIRA: Well, I was actually in the district where one of the explosions occurred where the synagogue Neve Shalom is located. There was a heavy security presence, there were lots of police around. And you're not allowed to stop in front of this particular synagogue. Apparently the detonation occurred while the car was moving.
So it wasn't so much a failure of security as good preparation by the terrorists for simultaneous coordinated attacks. And, therefore, I'm worried there may be additional attacks either by the al Qaeda organization, which is what the interior minister is suggesting may be behind it, or their local supporters within Turkey itself.
ROBERTS: Bulent, as we have been talking about this morning, in 1986, this synagogue, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the synagogue that is Neve Shalom, was the target of another terrorist attack. And you talk about the security that was in place there when you visited. Talk more about the security, and give everyone, I guess, an idea of just how hard it is to get near the synagogue, because it really is a staple for the community, having sponsored the Hebrew high school, also the nursery school there.
ALIZIRA: Right. In addition to the large number of Turkish security officials and policemen who actually patrol that area, because this is the very center of Istanbul, there is a policeman station outside the synagogue.
And I talked to a member of the congregation who normally attends that synagogue after the attack, and he said, that, you know, getting into the building was difficult. There had been some concern about attacks ever since the earlier 1986 incident, but also subsequently.
So this was a case of an attack that took place outside the synagogue, rather than inside, which is what happened back in 1986.
There's -- the community of Turkish Jewish communities, about 40,000 strong. Anti-Semitism is not known to Turkish society. Istanbul's a large metropolis in which, you know, 40,000 people are not particularly vulnerable. They can blend in with all the other communities that are there.
So this is a tremendous shock to the Turkish system that this has occurred.
ROBERTS: And Bulent, in your assessment, in your opinion, is it because there are such strong ties between Turkey and Israel, especially militarily?
ALIZIRA: Well, the speculation's now going to begin as to who it was, and more importantly, why it was done. The Turkish-Israeli relationship is very close, as you said, particularly in the military area. And the fact that it's continuing despite the fact that there's a Turkish government which is of Islamist origin testifies to the strength of the relationship.
Nonetheless, the Israeli prime minister wanted to visit Turkey recently, and the Turkish prime minister's agenda was full and would not allow such a meeting.
I don't believe that this is a product of any strains in the Turkish-Israeli relationship. But nonetheless, Israel will want to know if Turkey feels comfortable about protecting the small Jewish community in Istanbul from this day on.
ROBERTS: Well, Bulent, we appreciate your time and your insight this morning. Bulent Alizira joining us from Washington this morning. Again, sir, we appreciate your time.
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 15, 2003 - 09:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBERTS: And Heidi, as we're learning out of that report, still a very chaotic situation there on the streets. Details still continuing to come in. And again, in Turkey, about seven hours ago, simultaneous bombings near two Istanbul synagogues killed at least 16 people, nearly 150 others being treated for injuries sustained from those blasts.
The attacks occurred during Jewish Sabbath services. Turkish media reported that a radical Turkish Islamic group claimed responsibility.
Joining us now from Washington is an expert in Turkish politics and foreign policy. Bulent Alizira is director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and he joins us this morning to talk about the situation.
Sir, good morning, and thanks for joining us.
BULENT ALIZIRA, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Good morning.
ROBERTS: First off, let's talk about the synagogues here that were the targets, and also your reaction, having just come back from Turkey not too long ago. When you heard about this, what were your first thoughts?
ALIZIRA: Well, I was actually in the district where one of the explosions occurred where the synagogue Neve Shalom is located. There was a heavy security presence, there were lots of police around. And you're not allowed to stop in front of this particular synagogue. Apparently the detonation occurred while the car was moving.
So it wasn't so much a failure of security as good preparation by the terrorists for simultaneous coordinated attacks. And, therefore, I'm worried there may be additional attacks either by the al Qaeda organization, which is what the interior minister is suggesting may be behind it, or their local supporters within Turkey itself.
ROBERTS: Bulent, as we have been talking about this morning, in 1986, this synagogue, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the synagogue that is Neve Shalom, was the target of another terrorist attack. And you talk about the security that was in place there when you visited. Talk more about the security, and give everyone, I guess, an idea of just how hard it is to get near the synagogue, because it really is a staple for the community, having sponsored the Hebrew high school, also the nursery school there.
ALIZIRA: Right. In addition to the large number of Turkish security officials and policemen who actually patrol that area, because this is the very center of Istanbul, there is a policeman station outside the synagogue.
And I talked to a member of the congregation who normally attends that synagogue after the attack, and he said, that, you know, getting into the building was difficult. There had been some concern about attacks ever since the earlier 1986 incident, but also subsequently.
So this was a case of an attack that took place outside the synagogue, rather than inside, which is what happened back in 1986.
There's -- the community of Turkish Jewish communities, about 40,000 strong. Anti-Semitism is not known to Turkish society. Istanbul's a large metropolis in which, you know, 40,000 people are not particularly vulnerable. They can blend in with all the other communities that are there.
So this is a tremendous shock to the Turkish system that this has occurred.
ROBERTS: And Bulent, in your assessment, in your opinion, is it because there are such strong ties between Turkey and Israel, especially militarily?
ALIZIRA: Well, the speculation's now going to begin as to who it was, and more importantly, why it was done. The Turkish-Israeli relationship is very close, as you said, particularly in the military area. And the fact that it's continuing despite the fact that there's a Turkish government which is of Islamist origin testifies to the strength of the relationship.
Nonetheless, the Israeli prime minister wanted to visit Turkey recently, and the Turkish prime minister's agenda was full and would not allow such a meeting.
I don't believe that this is a product of any strains in the Turkish-Israeli relationship. But nonetheless, Israel will want to know if Turkey feels comfortable about protecting the small Jewish community in Istanbul from this day on.
ROBERTS: Well, Bulent, we appreciate your time and your insight this morning. Bulent Alizira joining us from Washington this morning. Again, sir, we appreciate your time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
