Two bombs were detonated yesterday evening causing the death of 16 people and injuring hundreds. Public security places the blame at the door of Kurdish rebels, but the real cause of tension in Turkey is a standoff between ultra-nationalists and the party currently in power which risks being banned, despite its strong majority.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) – The initial toll from yesterday evening’s twin explosions in Istanbul stands at 16 dead and 154 injured.  The blasts occurred just hours before the Supreme Court decision on the illegitimacy of the AKP, premier Erdogan’s party which is currently in power.

The first blast occurred in a rubbish bin. The second, detonated moments after, occurred as a crowd of at least 1,000 people gathered at the scene of the first blast.  Authorities maintain that the attacks are the work of terrorists bent on claiming as many civilian lives as possible.

So far no-one has claimed responsibility for the blasts.  National security have pointed the finger at rebel Kurds from the PKK (the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party), but city governor, Muammer Guler, affirms that it is still too soon to draw conclusions.

In the past numerous attacks have been attributed to the PKK, but also to radical Muslim and revolutionary groups.

The twin bombings come at a time of great tension for the government. July 25th last an Istanbul court opened proceedings to indict 86 people accused of planning a state coup against the ruling AKP party. The group, it appears, is part of an ultra-nationalist network led by the organisation Ergenekon.

At the same time, today Turkey’s High Court is due to begin deliberations on whether to ban Premier Erdogan’s party (AKP, Justice and Development Party), accused of violating the principals of secularism enshrined in Turkey’s constitution.  The AKP’s roots lie in an Islamic Party, already banned, but won last year’s election with a landslide majority, and still today enjoys a strong support base.  Erdogan sustains that the accusations against his party are politically motivated and hide attempts to destabilise the nation by means of “a judicial state coup”.

Many observers fear that if the AKP is declared illegal Turkey will slide into political chaos, placing further obstacles in its path towards European accession and undermining the country’s economic stability.

Apart from a ban on the party, the prosecutor has also called for the court to bar President Abdullah Gul, Erdogan and 69 AKP officials from party politics for five years.

 

 

 

 

 

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