Posted on 09/12/2004 4:40:02 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish television stations broadcast a video Friday that claimed that Habib Akdas, suspected leader of the Turkish al-Qaida cell blamed for November suicide bombings in Istanbul, was killed this week in a U.S. bombing raid in Iraq.
The video, broadcast by Turkish television channels CNN-Turk and NTV, showed the body of a bearded man with a bloody face, who was wrapped in a cloth.
A man who claimed to be a Turkish militant was heard in the video saying that the body was that of Akdas and that Akdas was killed in a bombing raid this week in Iraq's Al-Anbar region.
The tape was obtained by a Turkish news agency at its office in Baghdad, NTV said.
"He participated in the war against America and its allies and brought many deaths to them," the voice in the video said. "After an airplane opened fire, the martyrdom that he had anticipated for years was fulfilled."
Turkish authorities have said that Akdas is believed to have fled to Iraq around the time of the Istanbul attacks. Turkish media has suggested that Akdas may have been involved in the kidnapping of several Turkish workers in Iraq in recent months.
It was not possible to immediately verify the authenticity of the video and the Turkish Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on the report.
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.
The November suicide bombings in Istanbul targeted two synagogues, a London-based bank and the British Consulate. More than 60 people were killed.
Turkish prosecutors say Akdas, the suspected leader of the cell who was allegedly trained at al-Qaida camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and two alleged cell members met on several occasions with Abu Hafs al-Masri, a former top lieutenant of bin Laden.
Al-Masri is believed to have arranged for Akdas and another militant to meet with Osama bin Laden in 2001 in Afghanistan.
GOOD, GOOD, GOOD!
Good riddance!
Good riddance!
To bad rubbish.
"After an airplane opened fire, the martyrdom that he had anticipated for years was fulfilled."
Let us help ALL Muslim terrorists achieve the martyrdom they crave, Insha Allah (or whatever).
Dang it. I searched Turkish.
I blame George Bush for this!
So Do I!
That dirty rotten American Patriot!
He keeps on disrupting the comrades plans.
Martyrdom is good for these bastards.
May he go directly to Hell!
It's moslem birth control........they can't reproduce!
Keep up to date with the Terrorist Scorecard
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Great site. Thanks for the note
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