Anger at Israeli Soldiers was Motive for US Consulate Attack

Though the street in front of the consulate has been long closed for security reasons, Kizilkoca gained access to the area in front of the consulate by telling police that he wanted to submit applications inside the building. During questioning, Kizilkoca is said to have admitted that he committed the attack in retaliation to the Israeli military’s recent assassination attempt on Hamas Leader Abdulaziz el Rantisi. In a statement, Adana governor Kemal Onal said that Kizilkoca was a psychotic person who had smoked marijuana just before the attack. Kizilkoca is quoted as saying, "First I smoked marijuana, then I threw the grenades. Nobody is responsible for the attack. I planned it and carried it out on my own."

U.S. Adana consulate employee Gretha Holtz, who had not been in the building at the time of the attack, later called Governor Kemal Onal to thank him for the arrest. In an official statement, Adana Chief of Police Huseyin Capkin said that one of the two grenades had exploded with no loss of life. He said that the other grenade had been defused by experts. Bomb fragments had been collected by munitions experts for further examination. The building’s windows were shattered during the explosion.

Cengiz Ozen, Cebrail Cilesiz / Adana / TURKEY