Israel Matzav

Breaking: Terror attack at the US consulate in Istanbul; UPDATE - VIDEO ADDED

Israel Radio reports three terrorists and one security guard dead in a gun battle. More details here.

UPDATE 2:27 PM

Make that three terrorists and three police officers.

Three policemen and three gunmen have been killed in an armed attack near the US consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, its governor has said.

The identity of the attackers is still unclear, but they are said to have begun shooting at police outside the main entrance at 1100 (0800 GMT).

The ensuing gun battle, which lasted for at least seven minutes, is reported to have left several others injured.

There are no reports of any injuries to staff working in the consulate itself.

After the 11 September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, the consulate was moved from the centre of Istanbul to a hill on the outskirts.

It opened in 2003, and has checkpoints and barriers well away from the main building.

Let's go to the (raw) videotape.



And here are more details:

The attack occurred right outside the high-walled consulate compound in Istinye district.

Yavuz Erkut Yuksel, a bystander, told CNN-Turk television the attackers emerged from a white vehicle and surprised the guard.

"One of them approached a policeman while hiding his gun and shot him in the head," Yuksel said.

Guler said two people, including a policeman and the driver of a towing vehicle, were also injured.

Television footage showed four people lying on the ground at the foot of the consulate's wall. Medics were seen trying to help one of them.

There was no immediate comment from police or authorities.

The secure US consulate building was built after homegrown Islamic militants linked to al-Qaida carried out suicide bombings in 2003 that targeted two synagogues, the British Consulate and a British bank in Istanbul, killing 58 people.

UPDATE 3:25 PM

More on this story (including non-raw video) at Gateway Pundit.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:32 PM