Little Green Footballs - Islamic Terrorists Attack US Embassy in Turkey

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Islamic Terrorists Attack US Embassy in Turkey

Wed, Jul 9, 2008 at 8:55:23 am PDT

A terrorist attack on the US embassy in Istanbul.

ISTANBUL (AFP) - Three gunmen and three Turkish policemen were killed Wednesday in an attack on a guard post outside the well-fortified US consulate here that the United States and Turkey both labelled a “terrorist” act.

The assailants, armed with guns and rifles, “directly” targetted the police post outside the high-walled US consulate in the upscale district of Istinye, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said.

Driving to the front of the consulate in a car, they emerged from the vehicle and opened fire at the post around 11:00am (0800 GMT), witnesses told NTV television, adding that they had also fired shots at the building. The security forces returned fire, killing all three gunmen. A fourth attacker escaped in the car after the shoot-out. ...

The attack was “an obvious act of terrorism” aimed at the United States, the US ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said in Ankara.

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Tags: Turkey, Al Qaeda, US Embassy, Terrorism

61 comments

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BeerDrinking_VictoryMonkey Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:57:00am

Note that terrorist is given in scare quotes. I'm sure it was just a bank heist gone wrong.

Pyrocles Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:57:10am

As Turkey turns back towards the dark ages.

Jewels (AKA Julian) Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:57:17am

And so the testing of the candidates begins

turn Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:57:27am

Looks like al Queda is back, sorry Obama the war on terror is not over yet.

rlevitin Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:57:47am

As mentioned in the other post,

Fox reports it was Al Qaeda

*surprise surprise*

CIA Reject Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:58:08am

Obviously deranged Buddhists...

////////////////

bosforus Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:58:12am

3 out of 4 ain't bad.

BeerDrinking_VictoryMonkey Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:59:12am

re: #4 turn

Looks like al Queda is back, sorry Obama the war on terror is not over yet.

I question the timing.

Jewels (AKA Julian) Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:59:21am

Obama will say it was something other than terrorists, McCain will stat it was terroists. McCain is begining to look better all the time

abolitionist Wed, Jul 9, 2008 8:59:44am

Three attackers and 3 security people dead, according to reports I read.

The Other Les Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:00:01am

re: #6 CIA Reject

Obviously deranged Buddhists...

////////////////

Minnesota Lutherans, again!

Kragar (Proud to be Kafir) Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:00:03am

How can we be sure it was terrorists? Maybe it was militants, insurgents or just activists.

Who Watches the Watchmen? Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:00:15am

Of course, you know this means war.
/Bugs Bunny

This is an opportunity to open a dialogue.
/The Trojan Donkey

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:02:08am

I'm waiting to see who did it -- standard-issue "Islamists", or others. Turkey is afflicted with varying types of terrorists. See today's Zaman, the "top stories" box at the upper left.

NoSubmission Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:02:42am

The strangest part of the story is where Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler calls the murdered Turkish policemen ‘martyrs.’

CIA Reject Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:02:49am

re: #11 The Other Les

Minnesota Lutherans, again!

Looks like the work of that nefarious Pastor Duane Gunderson!

DeafDog Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:02:50am

I'll bet that the man-hunt for that 4th guy is intense.

Cop killers get special treatment everywhere.

Eowyn2 Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:03:50am

re: #12 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

How can we be sure it was terrorists? Maybe it was militants, insurgents or just activists.

"rebels without a clue!"

Jewels (AKA Julian) Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:04:17am

DeafDog: Depends on how many of the cops are Islamist. Seems that that trumps everything over there

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:04:34am

re: #17 DeafDog

I'll bet that the man-hunt for that 4th guy is intense.

Cop killers get special treatment everywhere.

Hopefully, especially from the Turks.

stanlef Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:04:45am

I doubt it was Al Quaeda, although it was probably radical elements that are wannabe terrorists. The one that escaped is probably the only true terrorist and the others were amateur "hobbyists".
/sigh...secular Islam = oxymoron

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:05:19am

re: #15 NoSubmission

The strangest part of the story is where Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler calls the murdered Turkish policemen ‘martyrs.’

It is an interesting choice of word.

jorline Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:06:54am

re: #5 rlevitin

As mentioned in the other post,

Fox reports it was Al Qaeda

*surprise surprise*

The secure U.S. consulate building was built after homegrown Islamic militants linked to Al Qaeda carried out homicide bombings in 2003 that targeted two synagogues, the British Consulate and a British bank in Istanbul. Those attacks killed 58 people.

Some of those homicide attackers had trained in Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. A television station reported that some of Wednesday's attackers had traveled to Afghanistan previously, but police would not confirm the report.

Link

gop_patriot Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:06:59am

Is baconeatingkafir here still? S/he had some interesting things to say about this attack and the situation in Turkey, starting at #407 on the Overnight Thread last night.

/s/he lives in Turkey

bosforus Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:07:59am

4 out of 4 would be better.

realwest Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:08:42am

re: #18 Eowyn2 The refrain on this is just for you for that comment!
[Link: www.imeem.com...]

csa945 Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:11:37am

Not to nitpick, but it was technically a consulate, not an embassy. The embassy is in Ankara.

astronmr20 Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:12:24am

Nice try.

jorline Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:13:19am

Osama Bin Laden's teen aged son...kids say the damnedest things.

The teen declared in his demented ditty to fanatics: “Accelerate the destruction of America, Britain, France and Denmark.”

A whole new generation of terror...hey Jr...meet my son after school.

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:13:40am

re: #23 jorline

Link

"Dogan identified one of the attackers as 26-year-old Erkan Kirgiz from the southeastern city of Bitlis. Police would not confirm the report."

Unless I'm mistaken, Bitlis and Bitlis Province is a heavily Kurdish area. Though I'm not sure why they would be, the PKK might be involved.

NoSubmission Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:13:55am

re: #22 pre-Boomer Marine brat

It is an interesting choice of word.

Are they government 'martyrs'?

Occasional Reader Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:14:36am

More monstrosities from our enemies. It gets wearying.

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:15:05am

re: #24 gop_patriot

Is baconeatingkafir here still? S/he had some interesting things to say about this attack and the situation in Turkey, starting at #407 on the Overnight Thread last night.

/s/he lives in Turkey

THANKS ... I'm going to look up his posts (when I have time)

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:17:53am

re: #31 NoSubmission

Are they government 'martyrs'?

Keep in mind that Turkey is riven by a secularist/Islamic split. I'm assuming that the Governor is a secularist, a follower of Kemal Ataturk. His choice of word would make a great deal of sense in that context.

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:21:08am

Hell, yes. The town of Bitlis is just west of Lake Van. That area is heavily Kurdish.

pre-Boomer Marine brat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:22:42am

re: #35 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Hell, yes. The town of Bitlis is just west of Lake Van. That area is heavily Kurdish.

... and a century ago, it was heavily Armenian.

alegrias Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:26:04am

Ever since Turkey refused to let our troops enter Iraq from the North, I don't care so much what happens to this supposed NATO ally.

Eowyn2 Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:38:24am

re: #16 CIA Reject

Looks like the work of that nefarious Pastor Duane Gunderson!

You've heard that if Christ were born and raised in MN then instead of ending prayers with "Amen" we'd be ending "you betcha"

mfarmer1 Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:41:22am

Whew, both Turkey and the US agree it was terrorists behind this attack. I'm so relieved. I'm sure officials from both countries will soon acknowledge that these were just terrorists, not Islamic terrorists, as our State Department and well, anyone with common sense knows that true Muslims cannot be terrorists.

ploome hineni[deleted] Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:51:58am

jenv Wed, Jul 9, 2008 9:54:31am

re: #15 NoSubmission

The strangest part of the story is where Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler calls the murdered Turkish policemen ‘martyrs.’

That's not strange. It's what Muslims call other Muslims who die fighting the infidel. Gov. Muammer probably agrees with the attack, or even helped arm the attackers.

Ceemack Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:00:55am

Wait...they were armed with "guns AND rifles"?

Sounds like Dissident Frogman needs to do another instructional video for AFP.

WrathofG-d Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:04:37am

ot: Mk Eldad (could) Post on LGF?

WrathofG-d Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:07:05am

I don't think anyone is reading this thread anymore, but that will only bolster my point.

When we are involved in an international war against international terrorism, shouldn't this type of event be blasted across every news source and front page in the world? Its as if the Germans had bombed England, after we entered WW2 and the MSM just decided not to really 'run with the story'.

Heck, these actual terrorist attacks against the United States don't create a buzz around LGF anymore.

harrylook Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:27:21am

End the occupation of Turkey!

Oh, wait....

capitalist piglet Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:27:53am

re: #12 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

How can we be sure it was terrorists? Maybe it was militants, insurgents or just activists.

Freedom fighters!

capitalist piglet Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:30:03am

MSN headline: 6 die in 'terrorist attack' at U.S. consulate in Turkey

Yes, a 'terrorist attack'. You can almost see their eyes rolling.

NoSubmission Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:32:47am

re: #41 jenv

That's not strange. It's what Muslims call other Muslims who die fighting the infidel. Gov. Muammer probably agrees with the attack, or even helped arm the attackers.

But if he agreed with the attackers, the slain policmen wouldn't have been martyrs only the terrorists would have been.

Cygnus Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:35:44am

re: #6 CIA Reject

Obviously deranged Buddhists...

////////////////

Butsu Amida Ackbar!

Clubbeaux Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:44:14am

re: #20 pre-Boomer Marine brat

Put it this way: Knowing the cops here, I highly doubt he'll be taken alive.

Clubbeaux Wed, Jul 9, 2008 10:45:37am

re: #38 Eowyn2

But Jesus wasn't born in Minnesota -- couldn't find three wise men or a virgin.

(Rimshot)

jenv Wed, Jul 9, 2008 11:04:41am

re: #48 NoSubmission

But if he agreed with the attackers, the slain policmen wouldn't have been martyrs only the terrorists would have been.

A number of jihadists have claimed that Muslims who die as collateral damage are martyrs.

Bill K. Wed, Jul 9, 2008 11:21:32am

Meanwhile the limp dicks in charge of the security of this country, from the President on down, can only muster a lameo protest to the launch of a Shahab-3 missile by Iran:

Iran test-fired nine long- and medium-range missiles Wednesday during war games that officials said were intended to show the country can retaliate against any U.S. or Israeli attack, state television reported.

The test-firings were widely condemned in the United States, notably by the White House and the two main candidates for the presidency.

This is obviously a further test by Iran to confirm the lack of will by the West to oppose Iran's domination of the Mideast, and eventually the world, by the only means really that count: militarily.

TalkinKamel Wed, Jul 9, 2008 11:30:25am

This is serious stuff!

(As is the stand-off with Iran. Any updates? How are we responding?)

Ojoe Wed, Jul 9, 2008 11:34:18am

Every one of these attacks is a declaration of war against us.

Cat Wed, Jul 9, 2008 12:42:12pm

Those who are questioning the governor's use of "martyr" - keep in mind, any soldier/policeman who dies on duty in a fight is considered a martyr in Turkey. The religiosity of the phrase has been WAY toned down, and it's made more or less a nationalistic phrase. Even the army, which is as secular as you can get in Turkey, calls the soldiers who are killed by PKK martyrs.

Mardukhai Wed, Jul 9, 2008 2:23:22pm

re: #27 csa945

Not to nitpick, but it was technically a consulate, not an embassy. The embassy is in Ankara.

You're absolutely right. Ataturk established his revolutionary capital in Ankara while drawing the army to his side during the Greek war, as an alternative to the Porte in Constantinople, and because Constantinople was not militarily secure.

The capital remained there after the war.

Chuck Martel Wed, Jul 9, 2008 2:25:33pm

This is the perfect chance for Mr. Mr. Omar Ahmad over at CAIR to tell us how caring, sharing, and nurturing his fellow Moslums are. Go ahead Omar. Make us proud.

J'accuzzi Wed, Jul 9, 2008 4:43:57pm

This deal doesn't make any sense at all.

baconeatingkaffir Thu, Jul 10, 2008 2:15:00am

The media here says that the perps in this incident have links to al-qaeda and are "afghanis" meaning they fought/were trained in Afghanistan. One of the news channels I watched claims that one of the dead terrorists was released from Guantanamo bay. I'd love to find a link for that. Way to go for rehabilitation! I think the only kind of rehabilitation therapy those idiots in GITMO need would come from doctors Smith and Wesson. It's all they seem to understand.
It's interesting that they translated the word "Şehit" as martyr. I guess martyr would be the only translation for that word but in Turkish culture anyone who dies in the line of duty (soldiers/police/etc.) are considered as that.

Clubbeaux Thu, Jul 10, 2008 2:20:57am

re: #60 baconeatingkaffir

Hey Bacon,

Doesn't it seem that a whole lot was "known" about the dead terrorists awfully fast? Not to knock the super-efficient professionalism of the Turkish police, of course, but the CIA should be able to ID people so fast.

And hey, let's get some cooler weather here in NW Turkey, huh?