Today.Az » World news » Istanbul officials identify Taksim bomber as PKK member
03 November 2010 [12:35] - Today.Az
The Istanbul Governor's Office on Tuesday identified the suicide bomber who blew himself up in Istanbul, wounding 32 people, as a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
Sunday's attack targeted riot police stationed at Istanbul's busiest square, and 15 of the wounded were police officers. A statement from the governor office said 24-year-old Vedat Acar was the suicide bomber and had joined the PKK in 2004.
The statement did not directly blame the PKK for the attack, but said police were still investigating the bombing and the bomber's contacts. The PKK on Monday denied any role in the attack and said it was extending a unilateral cease-fire, declared in August, until the summer of 2011, in the hope of opening talks with Turkish leaders.
Some terrorist cells however, are believed to operate with considerable autonomy from the PKK's leadership, which is based in the Kandil mountains in northern Iraq, and it was not known if the bomber had acted independently.
According to his identification card, 24-year-old Acar was from the town of Gürpınar in the eastern province of Van, daily Milliyet reported on its website.
Daily Hürriyet reported on its website that Acar lived in the Istanbul district of Şirinevler in a house belonging to a family member but had re-entered the country through the Habur border gate in southeastern Turkey after spending time allegedly training at PKK camps in northern Iraq.
The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Anatolia news agency also reported that police investigators had detained for questioning seven people suspected of being connected to the bomber. It did not cite a source for the information.
/Hurriyet Daily News/
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