• 05:14
  • Wednesday ,18 August 2010
العربية

Hostage drama at Turkey's embassy in Israel

By-BBC

International News

00:08

Wednesday ,18 August 2010

Hostage drama at Turkey's embassy in Israel

 Shots have been fired at the Turkish embassy in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, police have said.There are reports that at least one person was injured.

An Israeli official told the BBC two hostages had been taken by a man who entered the embassy, but were later freed. The official said the man was shot by the embassy's security guards.
 
Israel's foreign ministry identified the man as a Palestinian who stormed the UK embassy in Tel Aviv in 2006.
 
There are unconfirmed reports that the man, named as Nadim Injaz from the West Bank, was demanding asylum in Turkey.
 
Police said the embassy's security staff were handling the incident, but that the area had been sealed off and they were standing by to assist.
 
Television pictures showed Israeli police and ambulances outside the embassy building, on Hayarkon street, near the busy beachfront. Police and heavily armed security personnel could also been seen.
 
Threat
Turkey's foreign ministry said the assailant had been carrying a knife, a can of petrol and a toy gun, when he forced his way into the embassy compound on Tuesday evening.
 
He later retreated to an upper floor of the embassy after being shot and freeing his hostages - thought to be the consul-general and his wife.
 
A man identified as Mr Injaz was later photographed looking out of one of the building's windows.
 
Israel's Channel 2 television also played a recording of a man it claimed was the attacker, who threatened to burn down the embassy if he was not allowed to leave the country.
 
Mr Injaz is from the West Bank town of Ramallah and is reported to have a history of mental illness. He has claimed he used to work for Israeli intelligence and is being persecuted by them.
 
In 2006, he stormed the British embassy in Tel Aviv and tried to demand asylum.
 
Correspondents say Tuesday's incident appears to be unrelated to a recent diplomatic dispute between Israel and Turkey.
 
Ties deteriorated after nine Turks were killed in late May in an Israeli commando raid on a flotilla of aid ships bound for the Gaza Strip.