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16 novembre 2004

ISTANBUL, (AFP) - Ceremonies were held Monday to mark the first anniversary of suicide bombings against two Istanbul synagogues, in a wave of attacks that left 60 people dead in the space of a week.

The attacks, linked to a Turkish cell of Al-Qaeda, were followed five days later by suicide bombings of the British consulate in Istanbul and a nearby branch of the HSBC bank.

In all, more than 60 people were killed and about 750 injured, many seriously, in the devastating series of attacks.

Ceremonies were held outside the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues in the old quarter of Istanbul where Jews have lived in peace for centuries after fleeing the Spanish Inquisition.

"We are going to continue to live together, as has always been the case," said Silvio Ovadia, leader of the 35,000-strong Jewish community, at the Neve Shalom ceremony. "Those who attacked these synagogues in effect attacked the whole of Turkey."

The Neve Shalom synagogue, which was also attacked in 1986, was reopened only last month at a service attended by politicians, diplomats and representatives of different faiths.

A court is trying 69 people in connection with the attacks.

The ceremonies were attended by government authorities and representatives of Islamic and other religions in this multi-cultural city.

AFP