Four bombs explode outside Turkey banks
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-19 12:49

Small bombs exploded outside four banks in Istanbul and the port city of Izmir on Friday, slightly injuring three people, Turkish officials said.

One person was slightly injured by flying glass after two blasts occurred within 30 minutes in two Istanbul neighborhoods, police said.

Two similar explosions in the Aegean port city of Izmir — Turkey's third-largest city — shattered windows and slightly injured two people, local officials said.

The bombs appeared primarily to be designed to make noise rather than cause serious damage, authorities said.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.

Militant Islamic, Kurdish, and leftist groups are active in Turkey and have carried out past attacks.

Istanbul will host a NATO summit on June 28-29 that will be attended by President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac and other alliance leaders.

Security has been of special concern since four truck bombings blamed on a Turkish al-Qaida cell killed more than 60 people last year in Istanbul.

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