NEWS
Date published: 24 May 2007 00:00
Modified On: 31 October 2013 00:04

Speculations After Ankara Bomb Attack

A man has been identified through DNA and fingerprints as the suicide bomber in the Ankara bombing. As the initial shock over the attack in Ankara on 22 May dies down, there is increasing debate over the perpetrators and repercussions of the attack.

Ankara
Yesterday afternoon, the governor of Ankara, Kemal Önal, announced that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber called Güven Akkus. Based on DNA and fingerprints, the police identified the 28-year-old man from Sivas, in Central Anatolia.

A PKK attack?

While Önal declared that both the type of explosive and the manner of attack were typical of the PKK, the BBC Turkish Service quoted the pro-Kurdish Firat News Agency as saying that the PKK was not responsible for the attack, and indeed condemned it.

Meanwhile, people interviewed in the streets of Istanbul yesterday were confused. In turn, Islamic groups supporting the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Kurds who want to punish Turkey for getting involved in Northern Iraq, and the "deep state" (i.e. an extra-judiciary militia) were blamed for the attacks. Some people acknowledged that the attack would gain the right parties votes.

Or a communist attack?

The website of the national "Milliyet" newspaper claimed yesterday that the bomber was a member of Turkey's Union of Revolutionary Communists (TIKB).

While a TIKB member confirmed for bianet that Akkus was briefly connected to the movement from 1995-97, the Union has not been in contact with him since. Furthermore, TIKB sent an email statement to bianet, emphasising that TIKP denounced this kind of terrorist act and could not give countenance to any kind of activity that targeted innocent and defenseless civilians.

Milliyet claimed that Akkus may have moved from the TIKB to the PKK when he was in prison for "hanging up illegal posters" and "resisting the police".

Büyükanit's comments

Chief of General Staff Büyükanit was one of the first to survey the site of the bombing. He predicted that the Ankara bombing may be followed by bombings in big cities all over Turkey. He also called for an investigation of "institutions behind the terror".

This is seen by some as an allusion to pro-Kurdish politicians who are trying to solve the Kurdish issue by entering parliament. Is this all an attempt to sway people to vote for a "party of security" rather than a "party of freedom"?

Some people question why the head of the army is concerning himself thus with domestic security matters, and, given his interest, why he is then frightening the public by predicting more attacks. (TK/AÖ/EK/AG/EÜ)

https://bianet.org/haber/speculations-after-ankara-bomb-attack-96553
2024-04-30 04:24:21