Victims of a terrorist attack on Istanbul’s Beth Israel Synagogue seven years ago will be commemorated Monday.
Şişli District Gov. Mehmet Öklü, Şişli Municipality Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül and Şişli Mufti Ahmet Tüccar, who is the chief rabbi’s representative, will participate in the commemoration on Şişli Nakiye Elgün Street, starting at 10 a.m.
After Jewish and Islamic prayers are performed, red carnations will be left in memory of those who died in the bombing.
The Nov. 15, 2003, suicide bombings also targeted the Neve Shalom synagogue and two more attacks were launched five days later – against the British Consulate and the local headquarters of the HSBC bank. A total of 58 people died, along with the four suicide bombers.
The blast in Istanbul’s Levent district happened in front of the HSBC bank around 10:55 a.m. and turned the building into ruins. Numerous pedestrians passing in front the bank were injured and 11 people died at the scene.
Targeting the British Consulate, the second bomb exploded in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, 10 minutes later. After the consulate’s front garden wall collapsed, a fire broke out inside the garden. In the attack, terrorists killed 16 people including Consul General Roger Short.