DNA tests confirm Turkish leftist bombed US embassy

DNA tests showed that Ecevit Sanli, a member of the Turkish leftist group DHKP-C, was the suicide bomber in Friday's attack on the U.S. embassy in Ankara, the city governor's office said on Saturday.   

"The person who detonated the explosives strapped to his body while trying to enter the US embassy ... was Ecevit Sanli, a militant from the terrorist organisation DHKP-C," the governor's office said in a statement.

This as, state broadcaster TRT reported that Turkish authorities detained three people in Istanbul and Ankara on Saturday in connection with Friday's attack.

Earlier, Turkish leftist group DHKP-C said on Saturday it was responsible for the attack on the U.S. embassy in Ankara  according to a statement on a website close to the group.   

"Our warrior Alisan Sanli carried out an act of self-sacrifice on Feb 1, 2013, by entering the Ankara embassy of the United States, murderer of the people of the world," the statement said.     

On Friday, a suicide bomber killed a Turkish security guard at the U.S. embassy in Ankara, officials said, blowing open an entrance and sending debris flying through the air.   

The attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body after entering an embassy gatehouse. The blast could be heard a mile away.


REUTERS