For saturday morning my initial plan was buying a new 6V battery for my rechargable projector which I keep in the Rangie. And then attend a meeting with new rescue volunteers in the marina at 11:00

The Neve Shalom Synagogue is on one of the old parts of the city where the electrical appliances and accessories shops are. I planed to leave home at around 08:30 and get there at 09:10 do the shopping till 10:00 and go to marina for meeting at 11:00.

But on friday night my son fell asleep on our bed and I just did not want to bother them and tried to sleep on the couch. I couldn't so I began reading BCD papers to take notes for the meeting. It was after 05:00 in the morning that I could sleep. I woke up at 07:30 and felt lazy to leave early and then decided to stay home till 10:30 and go to buy the battery after the meeting. At 09:25 right 20-25 meters away from where I would be a 800 lbs bomb exploded in a vehicle right in front of the synagogue. I could have been there. Lucky?? Yes I am.

It is not a local job, beyond the scope of the ones here. Same method with first bombing of WTC, Oklohoma, Riyadh and some in Baghdad. Fertilizer and TNT. S..t bomb we call. 2/3 of the dead and wounded also are muslims. With the Jewish people we have no problems here. Turkey is one of the best loved countries by the Jews for the last 500 years. It is also Ramadan here. No religion in this. It is surely a cell job. Prepared long ago and triggered short while ago I assume. They just waited for the political correct time.

On the preparedness side: Two Synagogues have been bombed at the same time. One is in the middle of a busy electrical market and the other in between apartment buildings. People have been evacuated from their houses and still cannot go into their houses or shops due to forensic reasons and damage. They are out on the street for the last 48 hours. Two people died a few blocks away from the explosions just becuse they thought it was an earthquake and jumped out of the window and crash landed on a parking car. Life is interesting nowadays and I am very angry and very sorry.

Burak

Glad you and yours are safe.

Extremism - religous, political, or racial - sucks. Pardon my French

Ed

Dear Burak,

I'm glad you are all right. And you are right life is interesting. I'm 27 yo and look around thinking if what's going on was always part of "adult" world or are those just current developments. Again I'm glad you are safe and sound. Greetings to your family.

Trully yours,

Matt the Polak

Burak--

I thought of you when I heard the news report. Glad to hear you're safe & sound.

David

Glad to hear you are okay. I wish to offer condolences and prayers to those who were affected by this horrendous act. Stay safe - Pete

it's a shame that people use futilizer to make a ANFO bomb. i'm not use wheather it is good to conclude that a big terrorist attack is always from a big terrorist organisation, ANFO bombs are easy to make.... wish the victims well.

Ratstr

Sterkte (keep strong)

Burak,

I, too, wondered if you were affected when I heard the news. Glad you are not injured. A prayer, if you have religious beliefs, eh? I'm sorry your country suffers these atrocities.

My prayers for your countrymen and you.

Tom

My fellow friends,

Thank you all for your kind words and concerns. The best answer to the terrorists was given by the public, the Jewish and the Muslim stood together in the funerals.

Nobody should be afraid of terrorists, because when we do, they win.

Many thanks again for all of you,

Burak

Someone once said "Fundamentalism is to [religion] as paint-by-numbers is to art."

I'm glad you're okay.

Hello, RATSTR are you still with us? Let us know, Please.
yahoo news

... you needed to buy another battery and fell asleep on the couch again. Please. I won't be mad I promise.

Matt

Burak,

Just heard the news- as, obviously, have others here.

I know that in times like this an on-line forum may be the furthest thing from your mind, and that it may be days before you read this even if you were not personally affected.. but we are thinking of you and your family, and hoping for the best.

And today they did it again. Nothing to do with faith,or struggle of the opressed and nothing: that's pure wickedness and hatred towards a world they don't understand.

Their masters are not poor people, just mad types who cynically abuse the ignorance of their followers by brainwashing them and telling them whatever stories, all in order to advance their personal interests. Not decent nor reasonable folk for certain.

Any measure against terror? Hard to find a sure cure for all, just don't sink into gloominess or despair: that's their aim.

Sorry to learn thatTurkey is their new target- Hope they find out rather quick that you don't fool with Turkey.

Burak,

Just to let you know I'm praying and hoping all is well.

Hope you and your loved ones are ok

Once again, we must hope you and your family are okay. While I would not presume to know or represent the religious, spiritual or philosophical beliefs of the members of the forum, I have to trust that all offer their prayers in your country’s time of need. Pete

Dear friends,

Many thanks for your messages. Yesterday we were all shocked with the news of two big explosions. After checking out with news and radio hams, and also a member of our local rescue team member who works very close to the British Consulate I left work, picked up gear and got to the scene. I am a senior rescue officer for British Civil Defence so I went right into the Consulate. Nothing except the main building which is far from the gate and very strong was in one piece. I don't want to write about the details as they are beyond human mind. It took twelve hours of work.

I am fine with normal wear and tear from heavy work but nobody is feeling OK and we are all sorry. 4 bombs in 5 days. What next?? We all don't know. We are all paying the price of poor policies.

Burak

You are right Matt we need lots of luck. Better be lucky than rich as my rescue boss says all the time. Becoming more intresting.

Burak

Burak, glad to hear you are okay! Sorry for what you are going through, take care of yourself.
Joey

Glad to hear you're OK! Glad that such prepared and civic minded folk as you are on hand to help out. There must be a bunch of folks there that feel that way to! Know that you make a difference by effort and example! Keep your spirits up the world needs more like you helping out as things become more unstable.

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Which policies are those? The policy of destroying property, killing innocents, creating chaos and distruction adhered to by the terrorists? The policy of indifferent unfair competition verging on imperialism followed by the "first -world" countries in thier persuit of "fair trade"? The list goes on........ Is any of this new? At the bottom of it all is human avarice for power and resources. The ongoing competition for the top spot on the hill that starts in kindegarten and becomes ever more onerous as individuals attain greater influence and might.


[\OFF-TOPIC WARNING]

Burak,
I'm late on the posting but, like everyone else here, I too am glad that you’re not a victim of the latest bombardments.
Right now it doesn’t seem the assaults are going to stop but pull through mate. We’re thinking of you.

Reinhardt

Just figured out your location (il). You have suffered more than us in your country because of bombings. I respect the way people continue their daily life in Israel after the bombings. This is very important and shows that the terrorist will not succeed.

Burak

PM sent. Pete

Burak,
I am also sorry of what is happening there.I had the privilege of visiting your country on three different occasions.My ship ported in Golcuck(sp?)for repairs on a few times.When ported there it was for two weeks each time.I kind of consider Turkiye my home in the Mediteranian sea.I pray the madness soon ends and the culprits found.
Peace
boatman

Glad to hear you're okay.
Take care of yourself,
J.T.