Perpetrator of bomb attack on Justice Ministry detained

ANKARA

Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler said on Wednesday, concerning the seizure of a boat off Greece's Chios Island in the Aegean Sea with four people aboard, that "Hasan Biber, a member or DHKP/C terrorist organization, who has been clearly identified as the perpetrator of the bomb attack targeting Turkish Justice Ministry, is among the detainees."

Speaking to the press before attending the "Workshop on the Security of Sports Competitions" in Turkish capital of Ankara, Minister Guler stated that the Greek coast guards detained four people off Chios Island ("Sakiz Adasi" in Turkish) aboard a boat heading for Turkey while carrying weapons and explosives and the offender of the bomb attack on Turkish Justice Ministry and the headquarters of Justice and Development (AK) Party mounted on March 19 was among the detainees.

"Detained by the Greek authorities, Hasan Biber was already being sought. Another militant of the outlawed Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C) was also detained along with two other people carrying French and Bulgarian identities, but predicted to be Turkish citizens," he noted.

Guler stressed that the Greek police are carrying out a large-scale operation, in relation with the same incident, by the counter-terrorism unit, with raids in homes in Athens, Thessaloniki and Korinthos, detaining two others in Athens.

"Unfortunately, coast guards discovered two anti-tank mortar weapons, four grenades, bullets and a great number of explosives in the vessel during the research on the boat, indicating preparations for an act of terror in Turkey as we previously received the intelligence," he added.

Minister Guler underlined that the detention was a good sign of Turkey's mutual cooperation in the international counter-terrorism efforts.

Highlighting that the detainees were people convicted in Turkey but escaped abroad, he said Turkish ministries and the related departments had been carrying out the necessary efforts in cooperation with Greece.

Embarked for Turkey, an inflatable boat was seized by the Greek security officials on Tuesday near the shores of Chios Island off the coast of the Cesme peninsula in Izmir province of Turkey.

Greek coast guards detained two Turkish and two Greek citizens aboard the boat which was reported to be carrying weapons and explosives.

Informing the Turkish Embassy in Athens about the event, Greek diplomatic sources stated they would inform Turkish authorities in detail in the following days after an investigation to be carried out by Greek authorities.