Posted on 09/10/2004 7:25:39 PM PDT by Nepalis
Fri Sep 10, 2:52 PM ET
By JAMES C. HELICKE, Associated Press Writer
ANKARA, Turkey - Turkish television broadcast on Friday a video from militants saying that the suspected leader of a Turkish al-Qaida cell blamed for suicide bombings in Istanbul was killed by U.S. airstrikes in Iraq (news - web sites).
The video showed a body of a bearded man with a bloody face said to be that of Habib Akdas. A man, apparently a Turkish militant, was heard in the video saying Akdas was killed in a bombing raid this week in Iraq's Anbar province.
"He participated in the war against America and its allies and brought many deaths to them," the voice said. "After an airplane opened fire, the martyrdom that he had anticipated for years was fulfilled."
Akdas is suspected of leading the al-Qaida cell that carried out suicide attacks in November against two synagogues, a London-based bank and the British Consulate, bombings that killed more than 60 people. Turkish authorities have said Akdas is believed to have fled to Iraq around the time of the attacks.
The videotape, broadcast on CNN-Turk and NTV, was obtained by a Turkish news agency at its office in Baghdad, NTV said.
It was not possible to immediately verify the authenticity of the video; the Turkish Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on the report.
Turkish authorities have said Akdas is believed to have fled to Iraq around the time of the Istanbul attacks. Turkish media have suggested that Akdas may have been involved in the kidnapping of several Turkish workers in Iraq in recent months.
NTV said the video had been prepared by the Tawhid and Jihad militant group, linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian held responsible for a series of bombings, kidnappings and other attacks in Iraq. The group is believed to have been behind the deaths of several kidnapped Turkish workers in Iraq.
Turkish prosecutors say Akdas, who was allegedly trained at al-Qaida camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan (news - web sites), and two alleged cell members met on several occasions with Abu Hafs al-Masri, a former top lieutenant of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites).
Al-Masri is believed to have arranged for Akdas and another militant to meet with Osama bin Laden in 2001 in Afghanistan.
A Turkish court began hearing the case of 69 Turks charged in the bombings in May. The Istanbul court is scheduled to resume hearing the case on Monday, following a recess of several weeks.
I hope the SOB was hugging Zarqawi at the time.
Ping
Yeah .
Thanks for the ping. Bit by bit the terrorists are getting taken out. Haven't heard much about Z lately, but I think he's still probably somewhere in the Fallujah area.
boom
1 Full Legislative Day Left Until The AWB Expires
Hopefully in a permanently horizontal position.
So turkeys are now part of Jihad? We'd better take care of this at Thanksgiving. :-)
:-)
(Burning in Hell. Being tormented by Lucifer's assistants.)
I am dead, bro-ham! Where are my 72 houris?(!)
Heheheh- good one!
You know, you better not leave.
I might even start a vanity post about it. (*hears wails of FReepers the world over screaming, "Dear God No, NOT A KJ VANITY!!!!")
Do it for your country, S o Y.
Do it for the internationals amongst us.
Stay.
(You SO did not expect me back so soon, did you? Heck, neither did I. But ride the wave.... as they say in Hawaii, and indeed in Australia...
Salutations,
Fiona.
I hope the Turks take things into their own hands...
>> the martyrdom that he had anticipated for years was fulfilled
Good news. I sh!t on his lineage.
I especially enjoyed "Turk's" comment, which I wholeheartedly endorse.
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