However, many suspect that Erdogan himself is responsible, and note that since Turkey has not aggressively attacked the Islamic State, the Islamic State would be stupid to stage a jihad attack inside Turkey. If, however, this was a Turkish government operation, the true story may never come out.
“Hundreds March in Ankara to Condemn Slaughter at Peace Rally,” by Suzan Fraser, Associated Press, October 12, 2015:
…Turkish investigators were close to identifying one of the two suicide bombers, the prime minister said Monday, adding that the Islamic State group was the “No. 1 priority” of its investigation.
The rally Saturday was organized by Turkish and Kurdish activists to call for increased democracy and an end to the renewed fighting between Turkey’s security forces and Kurdish rebels that has killed hundreds of soldiers, rebels and citizens since July.
On Monday, Yeni Safak, a newspaper close to the government, said authorities investigating the bombings were focusing on the Islamic State group, comparing DNA samples of the suspected bombers with those obtained from the families of some 20 extremists they suspect could have carried out the attacks.
No one has claimed responsibility, but the attack bears similarities to a suicide bombing in July that killed 33 Turkish and Kurdish peace activists near the southern town of Suruc, which borders Syria. The government blamed that attack on the Islamic State group.
Hurriyet newspaper said the type of device and explosives used in Ankara were the same as those used in Suruc.
The government raised the death toll in the weekend attack to 97, including one Palestinian. A pro-Kurdish party says up to 128 people have died. Doctors say dozens are in serious condition, many with burns.
Why is it newsworthy to the Associated Press that one of the victims was a “Palestinian,” when none of the nationalities of the other victims are noted, and we are not told that all the rest were Turks? Is AP preparing to blame the Jews for this attack?
Davutoglu said Turkey had received intelligence that Kurdish rebels or Islamic State militants were planning suicide bombings and said two would-be bombers were detained before Saturday’s attack.
“There was general intelligence that Daesh (IS) especially, and certain teams of the PKK in northern Iraq, teams calling themselves the ‘immortals,’ were being prepared,” Davutoglu said….
Police detained nine more suspected Islamic State militants in raids in the southern cities of Adana and Kilis, officials said Monday. The detentions raised to 45 the number of suspected IS militants taken into custody in four cities since Saturday. It was not clear if any of the arrests were linked to the peace rally bombings….
Analysts say Islamic State stands to benefit the most from the continued Turkish-Kurdish conflict, which would take Turkish pressure off the extremist group in Syria….