US embassy denies misleading media reports about Taksim attack

The US Embassy in Ankara yesterday strongly denied claims in some Turkish media reports concerning last weekend's bomb attack in Istanbul's central Taksim Square, which injured 32, including 15 police officers. Some reports claimed that the US Embassy in Ankara and US consulates in Istanbul and Adana had issued terror alerts or warnings for their citizens in Turkey over the weekend. "We did not warn American citizens about any such attacks in Turkey; the United States has a strict law to insure there is 'no double standard' in sharing security information with its citizens abroad," said an embassy statement. "In other words, it is simply not possible for the USG (US government) to notify a small party of Halloween (Oct. 31 holiday) celebrants as implied by reports. These misleading stories show disrespect to the victims of the Oct. 31 attack. The United States and Turkey stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism around the world. To state otherwise is the worst kind of attack on one of the cornerstones of our relationship." The US Embassy also emphasized its concern for the victims of this "reprehensible" attack on innocent citizens, and wished them all a speedy recovery.