Brother of Qaeda-linked Synagogue bomber killed in Aleppo

Daily News with wires

Suicide bombers had also hit the HSBC main building in Istanbul, killing dozens. Hürriyet file photo

A Turkish citizen killed in clashes in Aleppo was revealed to be the brother of the mastermind behind the 2003 al-Qaeda bombings in Istanbul. 

Turkish citizen Metin Ekinci was reported yesterday to be killed by soldiers loyal to Bashar al-Assad's regime in Aleppo. Ekinci's ID, as well as footage of his funeral, was shown on the Syrian state TV.

Ekinci's family in his hometown of Bingöl began accepting condolences today as it was revealed that Ekinci was the elder brother of Azad Ekinci, the mastermind behind the 2003 coordinated bombings of the Neva Shalom synagogue, the HSBC head office and the British General Consulate in Istanbul, according to a report by Doğan News Agency (DHA). The attacks killed 57 people and injured nearly 700. 

Investigations conducted at the time showed a vehicle registered to Metin Ekinci was used in the attacks and it was later revealed that Azad Ekinci had purchased the vehicle using Metin Ekinci's ID, which he had stolen from him.

Azad Ekinci's lawyer Osman Karahan was also killed in an armed clash with the Syrian army in Aleppo last week. Azad Ekinci still remains at large.