Washington warned Ankara around two months ago that "terrorists" could hit at Israeli or US targets in the country, according to a Saudi paper.
In its Sunday edition, Al Watan reported that the US warned Turkish authorities that members of an "Islamic extremist group" had entered Turkey from either Iran or Iraq.
In the meantime, Israel's consul-general to Turkey said Sunday that the Jewish community there had recently received "non-specific warnings" of a possible attack and had strengthened security measures around the synagogues.
In Israel, meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told his cabinet Sunday morning that the Israeli government has
every confidence in the Turkish authorities to catch those behind Saturday's double bomb attacks.
Sharon told his ministers that the bombings showed that "terrorism knows no bounds". He opened the weekly cabinet meeting with a statement expressing Israel's condolences "to the families of those slain, Jews and Muslims - members of all faiths - in the despicable terror attack yesterday in Istanbul."
"We saw yesterday yet again that terrorism knows no bounds. Terrorism doesn't discriminate by religion or blood. The aim of terrorism is one, to sow fear and terror through the slaying of innocent people," he said.
"The government of Israel has full confidence the Turkish security and legal authorities will know how to capture those responsible for the despicable murder and bring them to justice," he said.
A Turkish television station and newspaper reported on Sunday that local police had detained three suspects in connection with the Istanbul attacks.
Hurriyet newspaper identified the suspects as two men and a woman. Television station NTV, however, reported that two of the suspected were women, both of whom wore traditional Muslim headscarves.
An Israeli delegation of security officials, meanwhile, arrived in Turkey Saturday night to assist investigators. In addition, the Israeli team is also expected to advise other Israeli and Jewish institutions in the country on security measures.
On Sunday, Israel's Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom flew to Turkey to meet with his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul and leaders of the Istanbul Jewish community. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
