British officials and Turkish traders laid wreaths today in a ceremony to remember the victims of a suicide bomb attack a year ago on Britain's consulate in Istanbul.
Seventeen people, including the British Consul General Roger Short, were killed when a bomber rammed his explosives-laden truck into the consulate's gates on November 20th, 2003.
A similar, simultaneous attack on Istanbul offices of Britain's HSBC Bank killed 18 people. Five days earlier, 26 people including two bombers died in the bombings of two synagogues in the city. A Turkish cell in Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network claimed responsibility for all four bombings.
Under heavy rain, the head of Britain's diplomatic service Sir Michael Jay and British Consul General Barbara Hay laid a wreath of white carnations at the site of the blast by the consulate entrance. "In memory of our colleagues, friends and neighbours who were killed at the hands of terrorists on 20 November 2003. We think of them daily but mourn them particularly today," said a card on the wreath.
Prince Charles re-opened the imposing consulate building, located in Istanbul's historic Beyoglu district, in a ceremony last month.
After the laying of wreaths, a private memorial ceremony was held in the grounds of the consulate at 11.03 am, the exact time of the blast. Local traders also placed a wreath at the site and were to read a special prayer in a local mosque to remember the victims.
Sixty-nine people have gone on trial for their suspected roles in the bombings.