Canberra, Nov 21: Australia and New Zealand warned today of further possible terrorist attacks in Turkey and cautioned citizens to avoid travel there following a second spate of deadly bomb attacks in Istanbul within a week. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he was "horrified" by the blasts at a London-based bank and at the British consulate yesterday which have killed at least 27 people and injured another 450.

The explosions, minutes apart, came just days after suicide bombers struck two Istanbul synagogues, killing 23. Both attacks were blamed on al-Qaeda. "Australians are advised to defer non-essential travel to Turkey until further notice, in view of the ongoing threat from terrorist attack," Australia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement today.

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the Australian consulate in Istanbul had been temporarily closed and all staff sent home. The Australian Embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara remained open. New Zealand, also warning of further possible attacks told its citizens to avoid all tourist and nonessential travel to Istanbul.

New Zealand warned travelers of a "higher level of risk" throughout Turkey, and maintained its advice against tourist and non-essential travel to southeast Turkey, near the border with Iraq.

Bureau Report