Turkey holds 18 in Qaeda swoop during Pope visit-TV

ISTANBUL, Nov 30 (Reuters) Turkish police detained 18 people suspected of having links to al Qaeda, but Istanbul's police chief said the move was unconnected to Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey, NTV television reported.

Istanbul police could not confirm the report today.

In an Internet statement yesterday, al Qaeda in Iraq condemned Pope Benedict's visit, saying it was part of a crusade against Islam aimed at pulling Turkey away from the Muslim world.

The Pope flew to Istanbul late yesterday, the second day of his four-day visit to Turkey, for talks and religious celebrations with Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians.

But Istanbul's security chief Celalettin Cerrah was quoted as saying the detentions late yesterday were unconnected.

Turkey has suffered several attacks blamed on al Qaeda: in November 2003, more than 60 people were killed in bombings of two synagogues, the British Consulate and HSBC's office in Istanbul.

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