Erzincan Bomb Kills 4 Children

A six year old child who on Saturday sustained heavy injuries from a bomb explosion in the eastern province of Erzincan died in intensive care on Sunday, bringing the number of children killed in the garage bomb carnage to 4.

The explosion reportedly occurred when a group of four children aged 6 to 12 found a parcel at a make-shift shed type garage used by Ulalar district headman Erdal Turkmen to park his car and started to play with it.

Orhan Oguz (12) and Mert Celp (6) were killed in the explosion while Celp's 11-year-old brother Cem died on the way to hospital afterwards. Turkmen's son, 6-year-old Umut, was placed under intensive care in Erzurum province.

Turkey's mass circulation daily Sabah reported on Sunday that Umut Turkmen had also lost his life due to injuries from the explosion, which the paper said was believed to have been the result of a timed bomb left in his father's garage to be detonated on his arrival home.

Father Erdal Turkmen, who arrived at the scene later was quoted saying "those who did this will be found by the state. Those who did this cannot be human".

Sabah reported claims that the parcel was left in the shed used by Turkmen as a garage to explode when he was parking his car there, but it had been detonated by accident when the children started to play around with it.

The newspaper also said Turkmen had recently challenged "terror organization members" in their attempt to operate in the district and was holding awareness meetings with the public. It said the headman had also interrupted efforts by organization supporters during the Newroz celebrations of March 21 to use the district's Ataturk Square for demonstrations.

The report also quoted the headman saying that the attack could have been against him although he was not aware of anyone with enmity against him. (II/YE)