Terrorist attacks in Istanbul in 2003

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In late 2003, Istanbul was the target of a series of devastating terrorist attacks on November 15-20, 2003 . On Saturday, November 15, a car bomb exploded in front of Istanbul 's largest synagogue, Neve Shalom ( Beyoğlu , formerly Galata district) and the Beth Israel Synagogue, five kilometers away . 24 people died and more than 240 people were injured, some seriously. On November 20th, there were two more attacks on the building of the British HSBC bank (Levent) and the British consulate (Beyoglu). 33 people are killed and over 400 injured.

The November 15th attacks

On Saturday, November 15, a car bomb exploded in front of Istanbul's largest synagogue, Neve Shalom, and in front of the Beth Israel Synagogue in the Beşiktaş district, five kilometers away .

Neve Shalom is located on a busy street and was filled with believers on Shabbat , the Jewish holiday. 24 people died in the two attacks - Jews praying, but also Muslims who worked as security guards in nearby mosques or in nearby shops. In addition, over 300 people were injured.

Around 400 kg of explosives were detonated at each of the two synagogues.

The attacks on November 20th

A pickup truck drove into the British consulate at eleven o'clock local time, and shortly afterwards a huge explosion occurred. Among the fatalities was the British Consul General Roger Short.

The headquarters of the British HSBC bank in Turkey, a 20-story building on a multi-lane main artery in Istanbul's Levent banking district, was also the second crime scene. The explosion in front of the HSBC bank also hit a nearby shopping mall that was home to thousands of people. According to the Governor of Istanbul Muammer Guler, three more British nationals were among the at least 27 dead in the attacks. The Turkish news agency Anadolu later received an anonymous call in which al-Qaeda and the Turkish Islamist group İBDA-C (Front of the Warriors of the Islamic Great East) jointly acknowledged the crime.

The IBDA-C group also initially assumed responsibility for the attacks on the two synagogues. An Arab newspaper later received an e-mail alleging that an al-Qaeda group called the "Brigades of the Martyr Abu Hafs el Masri" claimed responsibility for the attacks. The suicide bombers could be identified by genetic analysis and they could also be used to establish a connection between the two series of attacks.

Prior to that, there were several attacks in 2003 against British facilities in Turkey. On the night of April 3, a small explosive device exploded outside the Visa section of the British consulate. It did little damage, nobody was injured at the time. Just five days later, three weak explosive devices exploded in the western Turkish city of İzmir , one in the immediate vicinity of the British consulate there. On May 31st, several small explosives detonated in front of two branches of the HSBC bank, again without serious consequences.

Criminal trial

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In retrospect, 73 Islamists were found and charged as perpetrators . The first trial came to an end on February 16, 2007 with seven sentences to life imprisonment. The court sentenced 40 of the 73 defendants to prison terms (from three years and nine months to 18 years). The trial ended with an acquittal for 26 defendants.

Web links

Coordinates: 41 ° 1 ′ 36 ″  N , 28 ° 58 ′ 21 ″  E