coming through the square and walking down the street. i remember back back then when they were these kinds of attacks happening, they were warning people trying to educate people on how to how to detect if there's something it fishes around you're telling me that if somebody is wearing a cold point in, in a war whether doing it wrong, whether you might suspect and you can warn the police, etc. but to be honest, 1st i need to go to the area with my camera and i will learn more from the official by then we will hear some official statements. but this is so i think both for tori and for stumble raises and this is very clear, sin m, we are at some point going to let you go to the scene where this has occurred. but stay on the line with us for the moment because we're reaching the top of the hour . it is $1400.00 g m t. and i would just want to reset for people who may be

joining us as we speak just a few moments ago. a very short while ago we learned that a blast had occurred. you seeing pictures of what appeared to be that last a blast had occurred in central is stumble. we're talking about the tax m area, specifically is thick lough streets, and as our correspondent cinema has just been explaining to us, this is a very busy parts of istanbul. at what would have been and what was a very busy time of the day in tax him on istic la streets sent him also giving us the context that is stumble, which is use of these kinds of attacks. hadn't seen anything like this for a few years. this is going to bring back some very hard memories, very tough memories for residents of his stumble. i sent him the question i've been wanting to ask you in the recent past. has there been anything, anything at all that would suggest that the threat level had been raised in a stumble, or any wells in turkey that may be an attack was underway, and i wanna also couch this by saying,

we don't know what has occurred yet. we don't know who is behind this. we don't even know if we can really call this an attack at this stage or how the explosion occurred. white occur. we don't know any of this at this stage. very important to, to make that clear. nonetheless, there was a, a big blast in the center of istanbul, with the wordpress agency reporting that at least 11 people are injured and sent him back to that question. was there any indication that the threat level had gone up? well, as i said, this was very surprising for all the parties, the government, which includes the security officers, the residence of stumble and also turkey. and the course because sometimes they say the, these kinds of incidents happen at the time when you feel so confident. because for the last couple of days, especially the government official including the president have been explaining to

the turkish people that you know. 5 we we. 6 rid of these kinds of attacks, everything is safe, we provided safety security. we clear down. a from from the facts we wife. d the p k k out of to kids borders to kia has a security policy of ending these kinds of attacks it before it reaches in inside to kids border. so this is what they. d being proud of, but as you said, there are strong suspicions that this is a suicide bomb, but we don't have any official statements yet. and the official statements are binding for us. but when you look at the pictures. 5 we see that this is a similar see of what happened a couple of years ago and stumble street. many, many people would remember

a towards group was also involved actually was affected by such an incident. they were dial it tourism that group and there was a free side bober. so it happened so suddenly, but in terms of any indication that to kid or stumble could be prone to such an attack these days or recently we haven't heard anything. we haven't heard any reports, we didn't hear any emergency war things from the security office of true kids. so this is stunning because especially it's stumble, especially after the coup with them can 2016 has been very trick in terms of security at night during traffic and the number of the security police personnel was increased in 5. the city after 2016 because also the city,

the office or population of the city shows more than 16000000 on paper with 2020 of figures. but with the syrian. a jews with the domestic with more people moving in to stumble the city's population, probably around 20000000. this is what the experts say they calculate they, they put you to kia as a stumble as a city of 20000000. so when you have such a crowd, when you have so many social, divers estimate and social groups, and so many to is coming over, it stumble can again be a target. but as i said, we had no indications at these as citizens. no one had an indication because the area has been safe. people are going out freely at night during the day and. 9 into

camp, the bars, the clubs, you know, the, the night life doesn't and around 10 pm, though it is, someone has a very active my life as well. is the last treat where this explosion happens is such an area. it's always busy, it's always live. and there is no, that's why there is always police around the area. the 1000000000 or in uniforms, doesn't matter. so that's why i can not say there was a threat level increasing and that stumble could be targeted by any kind of such effect. sure. in him i am seeing on the associated press that the stumble governor has tweeted about this, and he says that there are fatalities in this explosion. that is something that we did not have a handle on until right now. this is a rapidly developing situation,

but it does appear according to the stumble governor, cited by the associated press that there are now fatalities to be deplored. in this explosion, we are watching life pictures of the city center of a stumble where an explosion has just occurred. although it is too early to definitely qualify this as an attack, it does bear the hallmarks of attack. i think that is fair to say, because this happens in a very busy part of it stumble at a busy time of the day. during a busy day of the week, i sent him castillo is with us walking through this, putting context around this for us. for them, i want to go back to something you were saying earlier. a stumble has not seen scenes like this for multiple years. alright, we've, all right, we'll get him because they go back on the line. again,

if you're just joining us, we're watching life pictures of the city center of symbol just a few moments ago, maybe 2030 minutes ago. now, we learned that there had been a big explosion that rocked the city center of symbol. this was in the tax in area . the 1st few pictures we got from the area you're seeing now, the ambulances arriving at the scene, people fleeing. we found out in the early moments after this occurred that there had been multiple people injured. and we are now hearing from a tweet from the stumble governor that there were also fatalities. you're seeing an arm and vehicle. there are what appears to be an arm and vehicle close to the scene . and we are currently not in a position of course to say, who might be behind this, whether indeed this is an attack, but it does appear to be just that it's stumble struck in its hearts phenom cuz we're back on the line with you. and am i was just saying to you, this is, seems like this is stumble is familiar with because it's been through obviously

a spate of attacks but not in the last few years as you were telling it. definitely these kinds of attacks and consequently to a couple of years ago, more than 6 years ago, even back that back at that time, if somebody was not familiar. but these incidents stumble became familiar, as i said. these kinds of attacks having perfect, perpetrated by 2 parties so far, mainly the outlaws. could this don't work as far as the p k. k. as we know when it's cronum and sama text perpetrated by i. so i'm talking about the past, so we don't know who will claim this attack or who has perpetrate. it might be even even an individual and radicalized individual. we

have seen these kinds of incidents, especially in the united states for the last couple of years. we have no idea about this, but i totally see that we are seeing and it's like now on social media, on the agencies, on tv right now. totally remind us what happens in an, in some other tourist big areas of gumble a couple of years ago as to kids big cities including on cur, up the capital was targeted by the out both groups by the groups and for the last couple of years. because of the security policy has been harsh and by the government has been stronger against these kinds of groups. we haven't seen any, any kind of these attacks, especially in this tumbled incidents. sometimes a continue in south is some part of turkey close with serial iraq border. we hear

that there are rockets being switched from the other side to to kit. and then there clashes between the army and the boat groups, but this is something new. stumbled residents, turkish people totally for had forgotten about these kinds of incidents that took place more than 6 years ago. about it totally reminds the face and similar incidents, but apparently the explosion. the impact of the exposure is stronger than the initial reports. there are casualties as they stumble governor has 3 tips, and you have also mentioned that and the number to interact people may increase as a, it's the middle off today. and they, the truth is very crowded. these kinds of these, these results today. so we will need to see how things will fall,

but the ambulance is police officers and other necessary. 5 organizations have been dispatched to the area, this is what we're hearing and the area has been feel by the police. they are trying to evacuate the civilians from the field area. but of course this, this is, this is a surprise for everyone. living, getting stumble, sent him because they're reporting live for us. from a stumble, we appreciate all the context for putting around this for us to the last 20 minutes since we watch live pictures of the city center of a stumble. with a very heavy security presence, judging just by the pictures that we're all looking at together, right now, they don't appear to be on a heightened security footing. they are securing your perimeter as would be typical in this kind of situation. i want to bring in and send him, i know you're going to scramble your team to try and bring us as much information on this as possible. so for the moment we're going to let you do that. but right

now i want to bring in more more ross asked, learn in ankara, he is a security analyst for your reaction to what is happening even though we know very little at this our still, we have only a little information about the extra though we don't have any clue about the reasoning was so fast, i guess sephora, senator ron. but at that time there was an explosion and there are locals. lice is very clear from the announcement of the some of the owner and the street is really populated. crowded with many tourists, especially in the caesar. well, the more to asia, if the senator is really committed to just go to people that still somebody as a thorough network is alive. because this area is very well known in turkey, but famous in turkey. and if you just push the button towards the terrorist attack, that means it's the most proper place for murat to tell us

about the threat level against turkey and against places like this is stumble. it clearly the area? well, no, let me not say clearly because we don't know at this stage, but it appears the nature of the target and the time when this occurred suggests that this was designed for maximum impact. tell us about the threat level and torque you right now. the strategy of police in this area is the, you know, he's at the highest a lower level. on the other hand, this is totally a civilian area. and problem where we can see many police cars and also civilian police is just trying to prevent any say to see why elation but still if you have a back and so you don't just walk around and explode it. there's nobody to take care any if you don't to prevent any explosion. on the other hand,

there are a lot of cameras and let me know that more i can i can i ask your question so typically is this area in istanbul? is this an area where you would have your bags checked or any kind of security check before you enter that area? i'm assuming that is not the case, but i want to double check. no, i mean if you have it back and if you are to tend to be a suspected individual, please me, stop you. because there are many police focus, those are wrong. but if there is no clue that you're a terrorist or an honorable way of, you know, walking around, that means nobody will stop you because it says celia street police jen not stop, but yet. check the back some indefinite. a clear. but there are a level of a love of cameras them over there. so i think what is your identified exactly would it and how it did it? you will. she is that it, it sets her a tech wide way soon. we don't know exactly the reason or what's the range of

possibilities in your mind. well, more than 70 percent, because this area is really smooth and it frustrates really good. so if there's an explosion, 2 probabilities, the one of them is small gas pipelines, feeding distorts, and the other one is a bowl. i don't believe that yes, i plan is the cause of such an explosion because the municipality and the governors, the units regularly inspect if there is any type of near leakage from their pipelines. other than that, that need said tara tech, and it'll, jason is really important in here while you hit it strength. that means all turnkey . and also international media will monitor the situation. and then your china saw exactly what you want as a threat or as a message to, you know, remind that a wrench, et cetera, just because of don't dish with terrorism or braces in cereal,

in the rob or epis. as a security analyst, when you see things like this happen, of course, you're waiting for facts to actually be able to, you know, dissect them and analyze them. but what are the 1st we're where are the 1st places that your mind goes to make sense of this? well, it's d doff. see treat we and area dex. you will have russell choose 2 days of the gentle week. so protest and so all the losses and all of them off present. so we have and will be at big and will to regional and also move to sectarian area. he stumbled just around the stable. so when you try to, you know, threaten somebody generating a message. well, the must group bases turnkey, or this is where the attack to what abrazzo deuce may be several years ago. it was

still in this neighborhood. and what i believe is an attack, it's cautiously selected, just to inform public that they are existing. then chapo, murat, or are we're on our correspondence sin m a was telling us earlier that this is a moment in time in turkey, when president ardon and his party or actually campaigning. and just a, let's remind our viewers that there's a presidential election next year. but they're actually campaigning right now, selling themselves as bringing peace and stability and security to turkey. what can you tell us about that? well, elections on 1, june, 2023. we have months. and there is an increase escalation will pull to call sentiments in turkey. there are some political parties who denise us just to be

most own more powerful against the existing government. and government does have another block. so that sucks. so short of terror attacks may be initiated by 1st p k. k. second dash and some extreme left 40 sh terrell networks that are more do i strike, you know, some of the terrorist networks at the left side? are we citing? we, everybody knows it. and most of them are like peaking jan. die well, they can easily, you know, just inject themselves to the crow and achieve entity because they pretend to be a civilian right now. so elections, we'll see this resonation by the hand. eastern disorganization eats and most likely goals for them. once they are treated governments on checkable providing safety stumble, well, they will treat that they're capable of, you know,

injecting people their idea. so i believe the number of attacks may increase in turnkey in the coming months because we were expecting that what police and gender 1000000 forces are really successful in denying. but there are saw, as you can see to they still really to confirm it though it's a probability and we will see maybe incoming must that that's effect. all right, murat, thank you very much. please stay with us and stand by. we're going to bring in another guest, but i want to also just reset things for people who may be joining us now. over the last 3540 minutes now we learned that massive blast head occurred in the center of istanbul. any tax in area specifically istic law street, which is an area that is very busy this time of day in this day of the week. so is stumble rocked by a blast in its hearts,

and we understand from the governor of istanbul, that 3 people were killed in the blast. 17 people were injured. i want to turn now to she hot ha, he's in his them will. he's the former chief of staff of turkeys naval forces command and he joins us on the phone. sir, your reaction to what you're hearing at this early stage. yeah. which was back to the actual explanations. there is no clear tech, but there is a moment, a bucket that, that it's going to take it to then see type bombing. so seeing that there is no expert any report it what, no, no, but the in the supreme. so please come with a special without proximity in the area. they are the they the, the, the l and that, you know, i think it's embalming. so this for me has to be at the moment doctor,

most of the time of the concrete. but because this is a very, very good attack, i think this is, this is one of the classical attacks of p k k. yeah. but i think that's right. the nice the to care and also the, they want see, or they want to make the people wait all walking in the secretes and safely. so you know, the, the purpose of this kind of tax. so to create wait and wait in the, in the public and christ and the people that we can put. and this is an acceptable to kill the civilian people. so,

so now there's been a good also to the terrorist organization right now to condemn the headers. ted taylor support this as they come from people from organization who or week is racing or you know, crop. the problem does kind of we could definitely all of them so, so let's say again, this is on the book and courtesy scholar, but doug said the turkey secret folks us are very wrong out of very powerful and they will, they will they will get the revenue or so, so, so,

so i mean, i've been the, i mean the government then credit courses are very experienced for chicago in the tennis organization. touch kind of as a tech for many years can, can i jump in? i want to ask you and you're going to have all the time to make all those points. but i want to ask you why would would conditional tense any terrorist groups be attacking turkey at this juncture? yeah. because because what, you know, the alexio's comic and less than why you and dad. thank the step allies the it took. yeah. and also dad saying that they are st. louis. i'm here. we are here. and we have a power to, you know,

to i mindy, i'm going to tell you, i don't know, but impact the election results. so bad actions. so they are trying to get, come by again, and probably darting from from some parts back. if that will be in the law, $85.00. who gets to the lake by beginning with the terrace issues or at all the rate of policy is ill with those there is open visuals. are going to be condemn, whole coverage. probably, i could say that your, you point out that obviously there is a political context of this. there is a presidential election happening next year. or you concerned if this is indeed a terrorist attack, and none of that has been confirmed at this hour, of course. but if that is what's happening and if that's what we're looking at now,

are you concerned that this might be the beginning of a new cycle? of violence in turkey are they will try, they will try, but they will be on sex cuts will because turkish secret approaches are so experienced in so they are really used to go with those codes organizations. so that's why so just take it to poses. we take the controls, i am quite sure about that. so these are the, these kind of toes may happen, but, but no, not awfully. it will it? or q wally because that had been and that has been and there is, there are to kill you know, some kind of attack each time you can see reports,

but don't take that to purchase are preventing them too. so this is, this is one of those attacks, encouraging us to meet, cannot be reached, which could be plenty, as somebody who was part of turkey's military apparatus. how does the turkey respond to terrorist attacks or attacks of any sort here this tatters had been they had done a by peak. i. k. i'm pretty sure that you are my closest. we'll make the rule in all in in the country. oh, so book. i'm pretty sure about that right yet, the

h e. thank you so much for joining us at this stage. we will want to speak to you again. we get the perspective from or i also was on the phone with us just a little moment ago. we're about an hour removed now less than an hour removed from what is the 1st blast in many years and not many let me say several years in a stumble, your view on how turkey is likely to respond to this. well, let me just inform you of up to these because i can just observe wanting from the video footage to clear explosion. and i don't think that guess pipeline, but it's something bag, a bag left on air it or something. i don't know what and it's exploded. you know, when you just to review the explosion, you can easily call it a 2nd thing that governor taught all the broadcasts above the exclusion and also the events or the after is because they don't want to have terrorist monitoring

exactly what's going on and start and other and say, just but i will to, to inform you. well, i will to just eliminate wanting such sort of attacks are always probable in any location of the glue equals one said 0 nectar. but to do mine, east presence and accumulate or color or strengthen itself by just cruel ways off is talking attacks on civilians. they, you've question just to urge people that they are chapel of doing something. and today i believe that the same pattern is doing itself why each the civilians targeted the military, not to police forces and it won't be crowded street that most civilians are just wolf hunt d, the shops, enjoying the time, et cetera. so this correction build just the people at that demo that continue strength in the city,

and they will stop walking around. they will stop shopping. so it will be a stance. so just, you know, isolating himself or herself at home or in the goals with synergy of their houses. so i believe some shorter and takes out a bit committed to and she a sense of craft in the mountains of siblings and they achieved right now. on the other hand, if you ask me if there are better be any fruita attacks. well, i'm not sure because the security by that will be ha heightens the measures, will be tight, and they will show all suspects in the city for a while. but we must expect tara not dies spontaneously because once they attack day, you do them more loss in their body. this is another effect or it more um i am mindful that it is now 141430.