Vic: Melbourne gathering condemns Istanbul bombings

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2003
Vic: Melbourne gathering condemns Istanbul bombings

MELBOURNE, Dec 7 AAP - Members of Australia's Jewish, Turkish and British communities
gathered in Melbourne today to condemn last month's terrorist bombings in Istanbul.

The gathering, near the Turkish consulate in South Melbourne, commemorated the lives
lost in the attacks on two synagogues, the British Consulate and the British HSBC bank.

Dual suicide bombings of the British Consulate and HSBC Bank on November 20 claimed
the lives of 28 people, including a 58-year-old Australian woman, Nazime Erkmen.

The bombings of two Istanbul synagogues on November 15 killed 25 people.

British Consul General Anthony Spraig, Jewish Community Council of Victoria representative
Michael Lipshutz and Turkish Consul General Hasan Asan were among those who addressed
today's gathering.

Turkish and Muslim religious leaders also prayed for peace.

Australian Turkish Media Group editor Umit Ugur, who organised the event, said about
150 people attended the commemoration.

"Turkish Muslims, Jews and Christians have been living in harmony for centuries," he said.

"We wanted to tell people that no terrorist act had destroyed that friendship."

AAP kw/gfr/sjb/br

KEYWORD: TURKEY BLASTS AUST

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