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| Turkish officials claim 'concrete evidence' of Isis link to bombings | Turkish officials claim 'concrete evidence' of Isis link to bombings |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Turkish officials said they had firm evidence linking Islamic State to the twin suicide bombings that killed scores of people at a peace rally in the country’s deadliest ever terrorist attack. | Turkish officials said they had firm evidence linking Islamic State to the twin suicide bombings that killed scores of people at a peace rally in the country’s deadliest ever terrorist attack. |
| Officials also hit back at accusations that the state was responsible for the massacre, saying 2,000 security personnel had been deployed to protect the peace rally, and rejected accusations that the ruling party sought to exploit the violence to bolster its chances at snap elections due next month. | Officials also hit back at accusations that the state was responsible for the massacre, saying 2,000 security personnel had been deployed to protect the peace rally, and rejected accusations that the ruling party sought to exploit the violence to bolster its chances at snap elections due next month. |
| Turkish government sources told the Guardian there was “concrete evidence” linking Isis to the bombing, and that they had established links to a July bombing in the southern border city of Suruç that had also been blamed on the militant group. | Turkish government sources told the Guardian there was “concrete evidence” linking Isis to the bombing, and that they had established links to a July bombing in the southern border city of Suruç that had also been blamed on the militant group. |
| Related: How will we ever know who was behind the Ankara bombing? | Ece Temelkuran | |
| Officials said that at least 97 people had been killed in the bombings, although rally organisers put the death toll at 128. | Officials said that at least 97 people had been killed in the bombings, although rally organisers put the death toll at 128. |
| Earlier, the country’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, said Isis militants were the prime suspects for investigations. He told NTV television: “If you consider the way the attack happened and the general trend of it, we have identified Islamic State as the primary focus.” | Earlier, the country’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, said Isis militants were the prime suspects for investigations. He told NTV television: “If you consider the way the attack happened and the general trend of it, we have identified Islamic State as the primary focus.” |
| Turkish officials said 100 surveillance experts had been deployed to comb through CCTV footage of Ankara in the past week to help establish the identity of the bombers, along with the use of DNA tests in an attempt at finding accomplices and any local cells that had assisted in the operation. | Turkish officials said 100 surveillance experts had been deployed to comb through CCTV footage of Ankara in the past week to help establish the identity of the bombers, along with the use of DNA tests in an attempt at finding accomplices and any local cells that had assisted in the operation. |
| One government official briefed on counter-terrorism efforts said security services had been tracking Isis cells in the country for months to identify ringleaders, in addition to strengthening border security measures and placing some 10,000 individuals on no-entry lists for suspected ties to Isis, largely based on intelligence provided by the UK and other European nations. | One government official briefed on counter-terrorism efforts said security services had been tracking Isis cells in the country for months to identify ringleaders, in addition to strengthening border security measures and placing some 10,000 individuals on no-entry lists for suspected ties to Isis, largely based on intelligence provided by the UK and other European nations. |
| “The main suspect is Isis but the important thing is to decipher that network and to know who ordered the attack,” he said. | “The main suspect is Isis but the important thing is to decipher that network and to know who ordered the attack,” he said. |
| The sources defended the security services against allegations that they had failed to protect protesters at the peace rally. Opposition figures and victims have condemned the government for failing to secure the bombing site, given the protest had been planned weeks in advance and received official approval. | The sources defended the security services against allegations that they had failed to protect protesters at the peace rally. Opposition figures and victims have condemned the government for failing to secure the bombing site, given the protest had been planned weeks in advance and received official approval. |
| They also criticised the actions of security forces after the attack, with witnesses saying they were teargassed as they attempted to assist the victims. | They also criticised the actions of security forces after the attack, with witnesses saying they were teargassed as they attempted to assist the victims. |
| But one government official said 2,000 security personnel had been sent to protect the rally, including establishing checkpoints, but did so around the meeting place to which the demonstrators were expected to march, not the area where they had congregated to begin their walk. | But one government official said 2,000 security personnel had been sent to protect the rally, including establishing checkpoints, but did so around the meeting place to which the demonstrators were expected to march, not the area where they had congregated to begin their walk. |
| He also defended the government’s decision to block demonstrators the next day from laying red carnations at the site of the attack for the victims, a scene that sparked scuffles between demonstrators and the police, saying they could not have “thousands of people walking over the evidence” being collected at the crime scene. “I’m sure they mean well but it’s a choice between being nice and contaminating a crime scene,” he said. | He also defended the government’s decision to block demonstrators the next day from laying red carnations at the site of the attack for the victims, a scene that sparked scuffles between demonstrators and the police, saying they could not have “thousands of people walking over the evidence” being collected at the crime scene. “I’m sure they mean well but it’s a choice between being nice and contaminating a crime scene,” he said. |
| Government officials accepted there was room for investigating complaints about security, but rejected accusations that the government was directly responsible for the attack. | Government officials accepted there was room for investigating complaints about security, but rejected accusations that the government was directly responsible for the attack. |
| They also said that the government would dispense financial aid to the families of victims who were killed in the bombings. | They also said that the government would dispense financial aid to the families of victims who were killed in the bombings. |
| Related: Suspicion mounts in Turkey as peace activists bury their dead | Related: Suspicion mounts in Turkey as peace activists bury their dead |
| Critics had also accused the Turkish government of using the ongoing crisis to help secure a larger majority in a parliamentary poll scheduled for November by inciting anti-Kurdish sentiment, or to postpone the elections altogether. | Critics had also accused the Turkish government of using the ongoing crisis to help secure a larger majority in a parliamentary poll scheduled for November by inciting anti-Kurdish sentiment, or to postpone the elections altogether. |
| Turkey announced snap elections for November after the ruling AKP and its rivals failed to agree on a coalition government after the last polls in June, which saw the opposition led by the pro-Kurdish HDP gain significant ground. | Turkey announced snap elections for November after the ruling AKP and its rivals failed to agree on a coalition government after the last polls in June, which saw the opposition led by the pro-Kurdish HDP gain significant ground. |
| After a suicide bombing targeted mostly Kurdish activists in the border city of Suruç in July, the PKK carried out reprisal attacks against security forces. Ankara blamed Isis for the attack, but the opposition says the government used the Suruç attack as a pretext for a major crackdown that led to the collapse of peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government. | After a suicide bombing targeted mostly Kurdish activists in the border city of Suruç in July, the PKK carried out reprisal attacks against security forces. Ankara blamed Isis for the attack, but the opposition says the government used the Suruç attack as a pretext for a major crackdown that led to the collapse of peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government. |
| But one government official said there were no plans to postpone the elections, and said there were no indications that the June election results would be significantly changed in the snap polls. Similar results would likely force the AKP and their main rivals, the CHP, into coalition talks. | But one government official said there were no plans to postpone the elections, and said there were no indications that the June election results would be significantly changed in the snap polls. Similar results would likely force the AKP and their main rivals, the CHP, into coalition talks. |
| He also reiterated the government’s position that the PKK would have to disarm before a resumption of peace talks. | He also reiterated the government’s position that the PKK would have to disarm before a resumption of peace talks. |