Syrian nationals behind foiled bomb attack in Erzin

The bomb was defused after security forces noticed it. Two policemen who tried to capture the would-be assailants were injured in a clash with them. The would-be attackers then fled the area. A large-scale investigation was launched to capture them. One was captured but the search continues for the other two. The captured suspect was identified as Syrian national Raşit Ali Raşit. Raşit, who was interrogated at the Erzin district gendarmerie command, said the two other assailants are also of Syrian origin.

Raşit said he would show the security forces the accommodation used by the assailants to facilitate their capture.

Police discovered that the bomb, which was constructed using three bottles, was made of C4 and A4 plastic explosives and strengthened with ammonium nitrate. Experts say this type of explosive is strong enough to cause damage to an area with a radius of 100 meters.

The same kind of explosives were used in the bombed attacks on HSBC bank headquarters  and the British Consulate General in İstanbul in 2003, which claimed the lives of 32 people and injured dozens of others.

In the meantime, terrorists from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Friday kidnapped Ubeydullah Sancar, an official responsible for taking state services to villages, in Diyarbakır's Kulp district.

Raiding Sancar's house in Uygur village in the early hours of Friday, three terrorists kidnapped Sancar with his official car. The terrorists set the car on fire after they reached the Kamışlı village.

A large-scale investigation was launched in the area.