Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Turkish progressives claim responsibility for attack on Istanbul police

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A far-left Turkish group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a police station in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district that killed one officer and wounded another, saying it was to "settle scores" with the government.

A female suicide bomber on Tuesday entered the police station, saying in English she had lost her purse before tossing explosives at police and blowing herself up. The three-storey building lies across the square from the Aya Sofya Museum and Blue Mosque, the biggest draws for millions of tourists who visit Istanbul each year.

A statement Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) website said the attack was against the ruling AK Party over the killing of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan, who died last March after nine months in a coma from a head wound sustained during anti-government protests.

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