Washington, Nov 16: US President George W. Bush and senior government officials, engaged in a proclaimed war against terror, condemned the deadly bombings in Turkey that targeted two synagogues and took the lives of at least 23 people. The lethal blasts, which also wounded over 277 people, came one week after a bloody bomb attack destroyed part of a housing complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing 17 and wounding over 100.
Al-Qaeda had reportedly claimed responsibility for the Riyadh bombing and senior Turkish officials said yesterday they believed the Istanbul synagogue attacks were carried out by "international terrorist organisations".
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attacks today in Istanbul, where turkey's diverse religious communities of Muslim, Jewish and Christian believers have flourished together for centuries," Bush said in a statement released by the white house.
Bush was supported in his condemnation of the attacks by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, both men are due to travel to Europe this week where they will hold talks in Britain and Brussels respectively on Iraq.
Separately, UN secretary general Kofi Annan also levelled strong criticism at the bombers who as yet remain formally unidentified.
In a statement released by the United Nations, Annan urged "that all measures be taken to bring those responsible for these heinous acts to justice". Bureau Report