Free Republic

A Syrian-based mullah already wanted in Germany and Italy has emerged as a leading suspect behind the Istanbul bombings that killed 61 people, including the British consul general. Damascus-based Mohammed Majid has a long history of involvement with extremist groups in Europe and is said to have financed a string of recent terror attacks across the Middle East. He has also been linked to efforts by Islamic fundamentalists to infiltrate Iraq. British and Turkish investigators believe that Majid's network of sympathisers in Syria is sheltering five figures involved in last month's attacks on the British consulate and a branch of...

<p>ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Explosions hit the Turkish headquarters of the London-based HSBC bank and the British consulate on Thursday, killing at least 25 people and wounding 390, health officials said. The blasts came days after the city was hit by two synagogue bombings.</p>

LONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The British government said it believed a second member of its diplomatic staff had been killed in Thursday's bomb blasts in Turkey, in addition to consul-general Roger Short. It named her as Lisa Hallworth, without giving further details. "Although there are no absolute identifications (the Foreign Office is) reluctantly coming to the conclusion that a number of staff both British and Turkish at the British consulate-general have lost their lives in this terrible tragedy," the Foreign Office said in a statement. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who was due to arrive in Turkey later, described the...

<p>BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Arab countries joined the rest of the world in condemning Thursday's suicide bombings in Istanbul, Turkey, with the Syrian information minister calling the attacks "a barbarous crime."</p> <p>"Syria's government and people condemn all terrorist actions that target innocent civilians and which serve only the enemies of security, stability and peace," Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan told the official Syrian Arab News Agency.</p>

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Turkey would not "bow to terror" after blasts rocked Istanbul. The minister vowed swift action from intelligence and security services, insisting everyone must know Ankara would never “give up to terrorism". Both Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek added they believe the three blasts which rocked Istanbul were linked to two explosions that hit the city last Saturday killing 25 people. Usama bin Ladin's al-Qaida network claimed responsibility for the last blasts, which destroyed two synagogues in Turkey's commercial capital. British interests targeted Television and witnesses say at least 15 people...