Turkey Arrests 14 for Suspected Al Qaeda Plot

The Associated Press reports:

A court has charged 14 suspected al-Qaida militants for allegedly planning to attack the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital.

The charges — which were filed by an Ankara court late Friday — come as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits Turkey's cultural capital of Istanbul for a meeting on religious tolerance.

The 14 suspects were captured just before Clinton's arrival. A 15th suspect was released, though may later also face trial.

"We were very grateful that Turkish authorities broke up an al-Qaida plot that was aimed at American targets in Ankara just a few days ago," Clinton said in Istanbul on Saturday.

Turkish media have speculated that homegrown radical Islamist militants affiliated with al-Qaida are preparing to avenge the May 2 killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan by U.S. forces.