Injury toll from Turkey blast rises to 102

ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) Turkey's government convened an emergency meeting on countering terrorism today, a day after a powerful bomb blast in the capital Ankara killed six people and wounded 102 others, authorities said.

The rush hour explosion at the entrance of a shopping mall was believed to be the worst in at least a decade to strike the capital and came at a time of heightened political tension in the European Union-aspirant country.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is also deputy prime minister, chaired the emergency meeting, attended by intelligence, security and military officials as well as ministers to assess measures for countering terrorism. No details were immediately available.

There was no claim of responsibility but the A-4 plastic explosives believed used in the blast pointed to the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a security source and newspapers said.

The PKK has been fighting for an ethnic homeland in a campaign of bombings, kidnappings and firefights since 1984, and Ankara blames it for more than 30,000 deaths.

Turkish media said eight people had been detained in connection with the blast.

Police declined to comment.

Leading newspapers Hurriyet and Radikal said that the blast took place shortly before senior military commanders, including armed forces chief of General Staff, General Yasar Buyukanit were due to pass the area to go to a defence industry reception.

Turkey's lira currency and stock market fell today, hit by worries over domestic instability after the bomb attack.

Erdogan's Islamist-rooted government has called a national election ahead of schedule to resolve a conflict with the secularist elite over a recent presidential election.

The secular establishment, including the military, judges and opposition parties, derailed the government's plan to elect Gul as president, fearing he might weaken the official separation of religion and state.

REUTERS DS KN1553