White House condemns attack near US consulate in Istanbul

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House on Wednesday issued a strong condemnation of the attack in which six people died near the US consulate in Istanbul.

"We strongly condemn the attack," said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman.

Asked if the United States considered it a terrorist attack, and if its consulate was targeted, Fratto said "I'm not yet in a position to comment on the facts or nature of the attack."

In Ankara, however, US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson called the assault by three gunmen on a guardpost outside the US consulate in Instanbul, "an obvious act of terrorism" aimed at the United States.

Three gunmen and three Turkish policemen were killed earlier Wednesday in the attack outside the well-fortified US consulate in Istanbul....