Gary Fitleberg, November 20, 2003

Iran has spread its state supported international terrorism to Istanbul as well as internationally.

The dual Istanbul synagogue homicide bombings Saturday were the work of a local Turkish terrorist cell with possible links to Iran, Turkish investigative authorities revealed Monday night, even though they have not ruled out a possible Al Qaeda tie.

The two bombers, Masoud Shabok and Azzad Akinji, were associated with a radical yet marginal Turkish terror group, the Islamic Great Eastern Raiders Front, al-Jazeera reported.

Shreds of flesh located in the debris by forensic investigators helped lead to the breakthrough in the bombers' identity.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said results of DNA tests on remains believed to be the drivers' were expected Tuesday.

"DNA tests are continuing. The final report has not reached us yet. I think it will be finalized tomorrow," he told reporters. "Things will be clearer with test results."

Erdogan said Turkish authorities are investigating the Al Qaeda claims, and there is no way to independently confirm their authenticity. One or both of the bombers had apparently spent an extended period in Iran. One may have visited six times, undergoing extensive weapons and explosives training, according to Turkish TV station NTV.

Still skepticism mounted that the bombings, which left 23 dead and 300 wounded, were orchestrated by Al Qaeda rather than independent Turkish cells.

But Turkish officials urged caution, saying the investigation is not complete.

"The identities of the bodies have not been determined yet," Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said. "These investigations cannot be done publicly. They have to be done in great secrecy, otherwise no result will be achieved."

Security cameras at the Neveh Shalom Synagogue captured the image of one of the bombers moments before he detonated his car bomb, perhaps providing investigators with vital clues to apprehending the attack's masterminds.

Turkish authorities are also questioning Akinji's brother, Mura, who might be linked to the attack.

Members of Zaka (Disaster Victims Identification), who went to Turkey to help earlier this week, pulled a victim from the rubble near the Beth Israel Synagogue on Monday.

The body appears to be that of Anna Rubinstein, 85, the grandmother an eight-year-old also killed in the attack. She had been missing and assumed dead.

Funerals for the six Jewish victims will be held Tuesday.

Clean-up crews continued their effort to rehabilitate the badly damaged synagogues and streets.

Mossad chief Meir Dagan, testifying before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Monday, warned that terrorists intend to target Jewish and Israeli sites in other cities on several continents.

He said that, while the Mossad had received intelligence that terrorists were planning to attack Jewish targets in Turkey, there were no specific warnings.

Turkish Jewish leaders on Monday spoke passionately with the media about their faith in the Turkish authorities, explaining they have gone to great lengths to protect the community.

Meanwhile, a delegation of three Turkish Jewish leaders arrived here Monday on a prearranged trip regarding their community's educational programs.

They were greeted by a round of applause at both Beit Hanassi, where they joined the celebration of the Joint Distribution Committee's 90th anniversary, and a Jewish Agency Board of Governor's meeting.

Speaking to the board, Lina Filiba noted that, thanks to increased security put in place after the 1986 attack at the Neveh Shalom Synagogue, which killed 22, only six lives were lost in this attack.

"We have been lucky in the number of losses, because we were well organized in security and we had good cooperation from the local police, who kept us abreast of the looming dangers," she said.

"I am in kind of a crazy world nowadays, not one day is alike and not one hour is like the other hour, but we are still here. Today, at the turn of the millennium, this little community is much more important than at any time our history."

The Turkish Jewish community is showing the world that Jews can flourish coexist in harmony with Muslims, she said, adding she believes that this made it a terrorist target.

In meeting with President Moshe Katsav, she said that community leaders are looking not just to help the Jewish victims, but the Muslims as well. "We will continue to support our neighbors. They have lost their lives and their homes and their businesses. We will not let go of that responsibility," she said.

Katsav told them that the terrorism is a global problem and must be fought by the entire free world. He also said anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem, but that of any democratic and liberal country.

Iran must be stopped from supporting terrorism internationally. The sooner the better.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2003 Gary Fitleberg