NEW BOMBING WAVE TARGETS BRITISH INSTITUTIONS

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 001744 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC TU SUBJECT: NEW BOMBING WAVE TARGETS BRITISH INSTITUTIONS 1.(U) At least two powerful explosions targeting British institutions rocked Istanbul shortly before 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 20. The first exploded at 10:55 a.m. at the Istanbul headquarters of HSBC Bank in the Levent financial district. Shortly thereafter a tremendously powerful explosion struck the British Consulate in the Taksim district, in the heart of Istanbul's shopping district (and near the former U.S. Consulate). While Turkish press initially reported five explosions, the discrepency appears to have resulted from a number of secondary gas explosions. Initial reports indicate that 18 people were killed and 358 wounded, but that total is likely to swiftly rise, given the magnitude of the blasts. British Consul General Roger Short, who was seen entering the Consulate shortly before the explosion, is now listed as missing. ¶2. (U) The first explosion struck in Levent, Istanbul's financial district, at 10:55 a.m., at the Istanbul headquarters of the London-based HSBC bank. Conoffs and visiting Terrorist finance team felt the explosion from their meeting location with a Turkish bank over half a mile away. News photos show extensive damage to the fifteen story building, with windows blown in and the building's entrance area gutted. Initial reports are that there were six fatalities at the site. ¶3. (U) Moments later, a second even more powerful explosion occurred in front of the British Consulate in the Taksim district of Istanbul. That explosion was audible all over the city, with a huge cloud of smoke billowing from the site. Later photographs show that the bomb detonated directly in front of the Consulate's gate, levelling the entire gatehouse and causing major damage to the Consulate and surrounding streets, which constitute one of Istanbul's major shopping districts. Ten people are reported dead at the site, but that total is also likely to rise. ¶4. (U) Consulate will convene an EAC this afternoon to review our security profile in the wake of this ongoing terror campaign. We will also hold a town hall meeting with the entire community. At present, all Consulate employees and American dependents have been accounted for. ¶5. (SBU) Consulate will also offer full assistance to our British colleagues, including possible office space for investigators at the old Consulate building in Beyoglu. ARNETT