Head of accused group denies responsibility, blames Israel for Reyhanlı bomb attack

İsmail Saymaz - ISTANBUL / Radikal

A picture posted on the internet social network site Facebook on January 15, 2013 allegedly shows Turkish Mihraç Ural, 57, holding map of the Latakia province as he gives instructions to gunmen at an undisclosed location in Syria's northern Latakia province. AFP PHOTO / FACEBOOK

Former leader of the organization that was accused of the recent twin blasts that killed over 50 people in Reyhanlı, denied all accusations and claimed the incident was Israel’s work, according to daily Radikal.

Mihraç Ural, member and former leader of “Acilciler,” or the Hasty Ones, claimed the incident was similar to previous acts of Israel, and denied any connections to his organization.

“Acilciler hasn’t been around for two decades, and has not committed any military acts for the past 30 years,” Ural told daily Radikal. “How can you bring such a group into such a complicated act?”

Ural said such an act could have been made by those “wishing to alter all balances in the Middle East, and to pin the Syrian and Turkish people against each other.”

“Israel has an interest in this, since the Syrian army’s recent gains show that Bashar al-Assad is here to stay,” Ural said.

Several reports have claimed that Acilciler, cooperating with Mukhabarat, the Syrian secret police, are responsible of the attack that killed 51 people in Reyhanlı. Forty-one of the victims have been identified, including 36 Turkish citizens.

Turkish authorities have blamed the supporters of President Bashar al-Assad for the blasts, but Syria speedily denied the accusations.