Istanbul, Turkey:
Packets of an unidentified yellow powder were sent to the Canadian, US, Belgian and German consulates in Istanbul on Friday, prompting security alerts following two militant attacks in Canada this week.
One Canadian consulate employee came directly into contact with the suspicious package and six others had indirect exposure, Turkey's disaster management agency AFAD said in a statement. Nine people were hospitalised as a precaution.
Teams decontaminated the Canadian and Belgium consulates and were working on cleaning the German mission, AFAD spokesman Dogan Eskinat said.
A US Embassy spokesman confirmed the Consulate General in Istanbul also received an envelope containing a "suspicious" powder.
"(It) was dealt with according to security protocols. The consulate is operating normally," the spokesman saidd.
There was no immediate word on what the powder was. Samples were sent to laboratories in the capital Ankara for tests.
Other consulates and embassies were reviewing their security arrangements.
Canadian consulates and embassies overseas have been on heightened alert this week after two attacks in Canada.
Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, a Canadian citizen and convert to Islam, shot and killed a soldier stationed at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday before running into the nearby parliament buildings. He was killed by guards in a flurry of gunfire.
Two days earlier, Martin Rouleau, a 25-year-old convert to Islam, drove over two Canadian soldiers, killing one, in Quebec, police said. He also was shot dead by security officers.
One Canadian consulate employee came directly into contact with the suspicious package and six others had indirect exposure, Turkey's disaster management agency AFAD said in a statement. Nine people were hospitalised as a precaution.
Teams decontaminated the Canadian and Belgium consulates and were working on cleaning the German mission, AFAD spokesman Dogan Eskinat said.
A US Embassy spokesman confirmed the Consulate General in Istanbul also received an envelope containing a "suspicious" powder.
"(It) was dealt with according to security protocols. The consulate is operating normally," the spokesman saidd.
There was no immediate word on what the powder was. Samples were sent to laboratories in the capital Ankara for tests.
Other consulates and embassies were reviewing their security arrangements.
Canadian consulates and embassies overseas have been on heightened alert this week after two attacks in Canada.
Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, a Canadian citizen and convert to Islam, shot and killed a soldier stationed at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday before running into the nearby parliament buildings. He was killed by guards in a flurry of gunfire.
Two days earlier, Martin Rouleau, a 25-year-old convert to Islam, drove over two Canadian soldiers, killing one, in Quebec, police said. He also was shot dead by security officers.
© Thomson Reuters 2014
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