Pope Benedict Condemns Turkish Bomb Blast Killings

A message of condolence has been sent by Pope Benedict XVI to victims of a bus bombing in Turkey, which he called a "horrible attack".

The bombing took place in the popular Aegean beach resort of Kusadasi on Saturday, killing five and injuring at least 12. Among those dead were a British woman, Helen Bennett, 23, of Spennymoor, Co Durham, an Irish teenager, Tara Whelan, 17, of Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, Ireland and three Turks.

Ms Bennett’s boyfriend, Stephen Stables and her brother Adam Brown, were those injured.

The bombing was thought to have been the work of a suicide bomber, although the evidence now suggests that a timer or remote control was used to detonate the device, the governor saying resolutely, "There was no suicide bomber."

Although no group has come out to claim responsibility for the attack, it has been attributed to Kurdish guerrillas.