Turkey- 15 detained in connection to Bursa suicide attack

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) A total of 15 suspects have been detained in four different Turkish provinces in relation to the suicide bomb attack that struck the Marmara province of Bursa on April 28. A female suicide bomber detonated herself at around 5:25 p.m. near Ulu Cami a mosque at the center of the province on April 27 leaving 23 people wounded.

“There are strong indications of an organization [involved] in the bomb attack in Bursa. There is a connection to an organization and we will make it public when it is certain. 15 people were detained” Interior Minister Efkan Ala told journalists at an event inAnkaraon April 28 while adding that he would make the necessary statements on the attack when he arrived in Bursa later in the day.

The suspects were detained in Bursa Istanbul the southeastern province of anlurfa and the inner Aegean province of Afyonkarahisar during police operations.

Meanwhile officials were unable to identify the suicide bomber from her fingerprints and will conduct a DNA test as the investigation into the attack was ongoing.

The suicide bomber arrived in Bursa from anlurfa via bus and went to the scene of the attack via taxi while she obtained the bomb in a location close to Bursa reported Anadolu Agency.

The attack drew condemnations from PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoanand the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as opposition parties.

Erdoan stressed the significance of determination in the struggle against terrorism which “attacks Turkey’s peace” while he wished good health for the wounded after he was informed by Ala during his visit to Zagreb on April 27.

Prime MinisterAhmet Davutolualso released a statement on the attack saying efforts to identify the bomber were ongoing.

“Our security forces are continuing their efforts to determine the identity of the attacker. I’ve consulted our interior minister and Bursa governor. Hopefully the identity of the attacker will be established and the efforts will continue until the powers and the network behind her are revealed” said Davutolu on April 27 while adding that he expressed his admiration of the public’s determined attitude.

The head of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Kemal Klçdarolu condemned the “treacherous” attack in Bursa in a post on his Twitter account on April 27.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) also condemned the attack from the party’s Twitter account.

Turkey has faced a series of suicide bomb attack organized by both the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the outlawedKurdistan Workers’ Party(PKK) in recent months.

Two suicide bombers detonated themselves on 10:04 a.m. on Oct. 10 2015 in front of Ankara’s main train station where thousands of people had gathered for a peace rally a few weeks before the snap election on Nov. 1 2015. This was the largest terror attack in Turkey’s history. ISIL hit Istanbul’s historicSultanahmetSquare on Jan. 12 while the city’s touristic stiklal Avenue was struck on March 19.