Five arrested in connection with Pınarbaşı bombing

ANKARA - Doğan News Agency

An Ankara court ordered the arrest yesterday of five detainees in connection with a May 25 suicide car bomb attack in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri that killed a police officer and two militants while wounding 17 others.

Suspect M.D. was arrested on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization,” while the other four suspects, N.Ö., S.A., M.D. and A.Ç., were arrested on charges of “disrupting the unity of the state and the country,” “premeditated murder,” “attempted premeditated murder” and “being in possession of hazardous materials without permission.”

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pınarbaşı District Police Department and said the attack was launched to avenge “the political and armed attacks that target the Kurdish people,” according to a statement that was published by the Fırat news agency, which is allegedly linked to the PKK.

Allegations have also surfaced that the bombs used in the attack were smuggled into Turkey through Syria in four packages. The bombs were then placed in a car headed for Kayseri.

Eleven of the wounded were discharged from hospital on May 26.