Firemen clean the scene of a shooting
with water after the police completed their investigation, near a guard
post in front of the U.S. consulate in Istanbul July 9, 2008. Three
Turkish policemen and three gunmen were killed in the attack on the United
States consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, the city's governor said.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
ANKARA, July 9 (Xinhua) -- An armed attack on Turkish
police outside the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul Wednesday was "an obvious
act of terrorism" aimed at the United States, U.S. Ambassador Ross Wilson to
Turkey told reporters.
The ambassador said, "This was an attack on an
American diplomatic establishment. The persons who lost their lives are Turkish
citizens and we are very sad about that."
A police officer inspects a guard post
after a shooting incident in front of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul July
9, 2008. Three Turkish policemen and three gunmen were killed in the
attack on the United States consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday, the city's
governor said.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Wilson said security measures were beefed up at the
consulate as well as at the U.S. embassy in Ankara and the consulate in the
southern city of Adana, near which a major Turkish air base is often used by
U.S. aircraft.
He said, "Our countries stand together in the fight
against international terrorism."
Turkish President Abdullah Gul strongly condemned the
terrorist attack outside the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul.
He said, "Unfortunately, three police officers were
martyred in a terrorist attack outside the U.S. consulate earlier in the day. I
offer my condolences to their families."
"Turkey will fight against those who masterminded
such acts and the mentality behind it till the end. Everybody has already seen
that terrorism would not serve anything," Gul said.
Turkish riot police walk in front of the
U.S. consulate in Istanbul July 9, 2008. Three Turkish policemen and three
gunmen were killed in the attack on the United States consulate in
Istanbul on Wednesday, the city's governor said. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Turkish Anatolia news agency quoted U.S. Consul in
the southern province of Adana Eric Green as saying, "We are grateful to the
Turkish police for the bravery they displayed."
"We always take the necessary measures for our
security, and will continue to do so. We receive great support from the Turkish
police, and very happy with our relations with them. I don't want to make
speculations. I don't know which terrorist organization is responsible for the
attack," said Green.
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler confirmed on
Wednesday that a security guard and two traffic policemen were killed in a
shootout near the police post at the visa entrance of the U.S. Consulate General
in Istanbul, and three attackers were also killed in the shooting.
The most recent attack on a foreign mission in Turkey
was in 2003 when al-Qaida militants detonated a car bomb outside the British
consulate in Istanbul, and simultaneously attacked the British HSBC bank.
