Protest, bombs raise tensions before wedding of PM’s son

Turk police fight off demonstrators against plans for Iraq troops

By Esra Aygin - The Associated Press

ISTANBUL - A protest, a bomb explosion and the discovery of two other explosive devices raised tensions amid heavy security yesterday in Istanbul for the wedding of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's son, an event drawing some 10,000 guests, including the Italian premier.

About 5,000 police, including sharpshooters perched on roofs near the wedding site, were deployed.

Among the VIPs were Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who were invited to be witnesses to the wedding of Bilal Erdogan, 22, and Reyyan Uzuner, 17.

The bomb exploded outside a political party office, while the two other bombs were detonated by experts in neighborhoods near the wedding hall. No injuries or damage were reported and it was not clear if there were links to the wedding.

Metal detectors were set up on streets near the site.

Television stations showed police using clubs and pepper gas against protesters who shouted slogans against the possible deployment of Turkish troops as peacekeeping forces in neighboring Iraq. The government hasn't announced any decision.

«Send (Erdogan's) son to Iraq,» the protesters shouted only a few hundred meters (yards) from the wedding hall. Private NTV television said that about 50 protesters were detained.

Police were alerted to suspicious packages which turned out to be bombs in Besiktas, a bustling neighborhood, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported. The two bombs were safely detonated.

Later, a bomb exploded near the Istanbul headquarters of the governing Justice and Development Party, but the device appeared to have been intended to make noise rather than cause damage or injuries, Anatolia said.

Police also detonated two other suspicious packages near the party building, but no explosives were inside, Anatolia said. No one claimed responsibility for the bombs. Militant Islamic, Kurdish and extreme leftist groups are active in the city and have carried out past attacks.

Istanbul's Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna was invited to marry the couple. Prime Minister Erdogan said he personally invited Berlusconi to attend.

Lawyers had to obtain a court order so the bride, who is a minor under Turkish law, could marry.

ANKARA (AFP) - The number of Turkish militants seeking to benefit from an amnesty plan has reached 760 since the law took effect four days ago, the Anatolia news agency reported Saturday. The law, which envisages outright pardons and reduced sentences for repentant members of «terrorist organizations,» is aimed mainly at about 5,000 rebels from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Anatolia said 120 militants had given themselves up to authorities since the amnesty came into force Wednesday and 640 others already in prison had applied to benefit from the measures. The figures, however, showed that the plan has so far attracted more interest among inmates rather than militants at large.