Turkish Leftists Claim Attacks On Ministry, Party Headquarters

March 20, 2013

A banned far-leftist group has claimed responsibility for attacks on Turkey's Justice Ministry and the headquarters of the ruling Justice and Development Party.

The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) said it carried out the attacks on March 19 in retaliation for recent police crackdowns on its members.

The claim came in a statement posted on a website linked to the group on March 20.

The attackers fired a rocket at the headquarters of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party in Ankara and hurled two hand grenades at the Justice Ministry's parking lot, wounding one person.

Last month, the DHKP-C carried out a suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy that killed a security guard.

The group is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters