Reuters AlertNet Lite - FACTBOX-Five facts about 2003 Istanbul bombings

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FACTBOX-Five facts about 2003 Istanbul bombings

16 Feb 2007 19:42:26 GMT
Source: Reuters

ISTANBUL, Feb 16 (Reuters) - A Turkish court sentenced seven people, including a Syrian al Qaeda militant, to life in prison on Friday for suicide bomb attacks on Jewish and British targets in Istanbul which killed more than 60 people in 2003.

Following are five facts about the bombings and the trial.

* Truck bombings at two synagogues in Istanbul killed around two dozen people on Nov. 15, 2003. Most of the victims were passers-by. Two suicide bombings against the local branch of HSBC bank and the British Consulate killed nearly 30 more, including the British Consul and his personal assistant, on Nov. 20, 2003.

* A Turkish cell in the al Qaeda network claimed responsibility for the attacks which killed more than 60 people in total, including the bombers. More than 600 were wounded.

* Louai al Sakka, a Syrian with alleged links to Osama bin Laden and the late al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was sentenced to life in jail for masterminding and securing financing for the attacks. He pleaded not guilty.

* Harun Ilhan, a Turk who admitted to being a member of al Qaeda and plotting the bombings, was another ringleader who received a life jail term.

* More than 40 people received jail terms ranging from five years to life. Twenty-nine were jailed for being members of al Qaeda. Almost 30 people were acquitted.

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Last updated:Fri Feb 16 19:43:53 2007