Istanbul
27 killed in suicide bombings
Security is tight in the Turkish city of Istanbul following yesterday's bombings which killed 27 people.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Irish citizens against all non-essential travel to Istanbul for the time being. It has advised Irish citizens travelling to other parts of Turkey, and in particular to large urban areas, to exercise extreme caution.
A Saudi newspaper has said the al-Qaeda network sent it a message claiming it carried out the blasts and threatening more attacks against the US and Japan.
Meanwhile, a group describing itself as a unit of the al-Qaeda terrorist network claimed responsibility for the two bomb attacks. The claim, published on an Islamist website, was made by the same group that said it carried out last Saturday's bombing of two synagogues in the city.
Earlier, Turkey's Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, confirmed that several people had been arrested in connection with yesterday's explosions.
The Minister was speaking at a joint press conference in Istanbul with the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw.
