Police in Turkey warn of possible attacks against churches, synagogues
Published March 27, 2016
Emergency services inspecting the area following a suicide bombing in a major shopping and tourist district in the central part of Istanbul, Turkey, March 19, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Burak Kara/Getty Images)
(JTA) — Police in Turkey have warned of possible attacks by the Islamic State against Christian and Jewish targets over the weekend.
The possible targeting of churches and synagogues on Sunday was listed in a nationwide police alert, according to Turkish media reports. Consulates and embassies also were told to stay on high alert.
The warning comes a week after a suicide bombing at a main shopping center in Istanbul killed three Israelis and one Iranian national. Turkish media later reported that the bomber targeted an Israeli tour group.
The Islamic State has been blamed for four of six bombing attack in Turkey in the past eight months, the English-language Turkish news service Hurriyet Daily News reported.
On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart that his country is “ready to cooperate with Israel against terrorism.”
