US embassy cable - 04ANKARA3676

UNCLAS ANKARA 003676 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/OTP AND EUR/SE 
PARIS FOR TSA 
BRUSSELS FOR FAA 
DHS FOR TSA 
DEPT PASS TRANSPORTATION DEPT 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, PTER, TU 
SUBJECT:  EXPLOSION ON THY PLANE IN ISTANBUL 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please Handle Accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  A bomb detonated on a Turkish 
Airlines Boeing 737 today in Istanbul following its 
arrival from Izmir as it was being cleaned.  There are 
conflicting reports as to the number of injuries to 
cleaning crew and the explosive used.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) News agencies reported an explosion at about 
12:30 p.m. local time on board a Turkish Airlines 737 
as it was being cleaned after landing at Istanbul 
Ataturk Airport following a domestic flight from Izmir. 
According to these press reports, after all passengers 
had deplaned, a member of the cleaning crew noticed a 
wallet which had been left on board.  It exploded as he 
was about to open it.  There are conflicting reports as 
whether one, two or three employees were injured. 
According to press reports, law enforcement authorities 
also searched a plane on the ground nearby for 
explosives, but none were found.  According to these 
press reports, the police are also examining the 
passenger list to determine who was sitting in the seat 
where the wallet was found, as well as surrounding 
seats.  Hurriyet reported that this plane was scheduled 
to fly to Stockholm from Istanbul, but other sources 
identified the onward destination as Hamburg. 
 
3. (U) Local newswires also reported - though we have 
not been able to confirm this - that THY temporarily 
halted all flights after an unidentified person called 
in to warn that THY passengers flying from Kars to 
Izmir through Ankara would protest NATO.  THY told the 
press that Ankara airport authorities subjected 
passengers from the Kars flight as well as several 
other flights to extra checks. 
 
4. (SBU) Turgay Sahan, of the Turkish National Police 
Protection Division, told us that the press stories 
were generally accurate, and that airport authorities 
were still investigating the explosion. 
 
5. (SBU) THY Security Director Ahmet Kanik told us that 
a small, make-up bag was found in the first row, near 
the plane exit.  He stated that there had not been much 
damage to the plane itself, and that it might be able 
to return to service within several hours.  He could 
not confirm the plane's onward destination, but pointed 
out that the plane had been moved to the international 
terminal area for cleaning, implying that it would be 
used on an international flight.  There are conflicting 
reports as to the explosive material used. 
 
6. (SBU) TSA Paris Representative Nouri Larbi, who is 
working TDY at Istanbul Airport, told us that airport 
authorities reported three employees injured, two 
seriously.  Other Turkish sources, however, report that 
only one person was injured.  The airport authorities 
closed off gate 213 and several surrounding gates in 
the terminal while they search the plane.  Larbi said 
they are checking to ensure that there is no other, 
undetonated charge on the aircraft or the terminal. 
Both Larbi and Istanbul RSO said they had heard 
unconfirmed rumors that a second explosive device has 
been found in the domestic terminal's baggage transfer 
area.  The authorities have detained some of the 83 
passengers on the flight (mainly those planning 
international connections) while the incident is being 
investigated.  TSA is attempting to obtain a passenger 
manifest so that names can be checked against USG 
databases. 
Edelman