Balkans: November 19, 2003

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Two ethnic Albanian Macedonians received 10 year-long prison terms for detonating a bomb that killed three people and wounded one in March 2003. Two of the people killed in the terror attack were NATO peacekeepers.

Turkey identified two of the suicide bombers in the November 15 terror attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul. Both of the suicide bombers were Turks, Gokhan Elaltuntas, 22, and Mesut Cabuk, 29. The Turkish police used DNA to confirm the identifications, though one of the suicide bombers was also filmed by a security camera. Two other Turkish Islamist militants were identified as being involved in the terror attack plot. 25 people died in the attacks, six Turkish Jews, and 19 Turkish Muslims. 320 were wounded. Turkish authorities called the militants "sub-contractors" for Al Qaeda. One Turkish Islamist group that may be associated with Al Qaeda is called The Islamic Front of Raiders of the Great Orient (IBDA-C).  This group formed in 1984. Turkish Hizbollah also has links to Al Qaeda. 

 

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