'Istanbul bombing was Hezbollah attack on Israeli envoy'

May explosion attributed to PKK was meant to be retaliation for Mossad's alleged hit on Iranian nuclear physicist, Italian newspaper reports.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Israeli and Turkish flags 311 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS)
Israeli and Turkish flags 311 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A bomb hidden on a motorcycle that exploded in the Etiler district of Istanbul injuring eight people in late May was carried out by members of Hezbollah and targeted Israeli Consul General to Istanbul Moshe Kimhi, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on Monday.
According to the report, the plot came in response to the Mossad's alleged assassination of Iranian nuclear physicist Masoud Ali Muhammedi in Tehran in 2010.
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Nobody claimed responsibility for the attack but officials pointed to the Kurdish militant organization the PKK.
According to the report, members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's Al-Quds Force carried out surveillance of the area, noting the route that Kimhi commonly took. They then contracted Lebanese members of Hezbollah to carry out the attack itself.
The report stated that the plan failed because of countermeasures taken by the Israeli diplomat and Turkish counter-terrorism services.
Israel denied to address the report. Turkish intelligence sources denied the report, saying,"Israel carries out similar disinformation campaigns through newspapers from time to time," Hurriyet reported.