November's Istanbul bombings killed 61 people
31 May 2004 -- A Turkish state security court ruled today it is not competent to try 69 suspects in four massive suicide bomb attacks in Istanbul in November.
The court said that under Turkey's recent legal reforms, it does not have the authority to hear the case.
The court made the decision after both defense lawyers and prosecutors challenged its competence on the grounds that state-security courts were recently abolished by parliament.
The Turkish parliament earlier this month voted to abolish the state-security courts as part of Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
The 69 suspects are accused in connection with the suicide bombings of two synagogues, a British bank, and the British consulate in Istanbul in November. Sixty one people were killed and hundreds wounded in the bombings.
British Consul General Roger Short was among those killed.
(AFP/AP/dpa)
The court made the decision after both defense lawyers and prosecutors challenged its competence on the grounds that state-security courts were recently abolished by parliament.
The Turkish parliament earlier this month voted to abolish the state-security courts as part of Turkey's bid to join the European Union.
The 69 suspects are accused in connection with the suicide bombings of two synagogues, a British bank, and the British consulate in Istanbul in November. Sixty one people were killed and hundreds wounded in the bombings.
British Consul General Roger Short was among those killed.
(AFP/AP/dpa)