WAR ON TERROR: THE WOMAN ASKED THE DRIVER FOR DIRECTIONS THEN BLEW THE BUS UP
THE woman bomber who killed six people on a Turkish bus stopped the driver for directions before blowing herself up, it was revealed last night.
Bar manager Bruce Dumin described how the woman targeted the bus in the seaside town of Kusadasi.
And Bruce, 33, who was injured by shrapnel, said of the victims: 'They didn't stand a chance.'
Bruce, who manages Paddy's Irish Bar in the town, was on his motorcycle heading for work when he saw the bomb horror.
Six people, including a female British tourist and an Irish woman, were killed and 14 others, including five Britons, injured.
Three of the Britons hurt in the blast, thought to be the work of a Kurdish terror group, were said to be seriously injured. They were being cared for at the Kusadasi State Hospital last night.
The minibus was a regular service which runs between the town square and Kadinlar Denizi - Lady Beach.
Body parts were scattered around the bus in the aftermath of the blast and the noise of the explosion could be heard across the small resort.
A man's charred body hung over the twisted remains of a seat and an injured woman lay on the road, just a few yards from the beach.
Last night, after being released from hospital, Bruce told how the atrocity unfolded.
He said: 'It was around 10.30 when the bus stopped to let passengers off.
'Two people had just got out when this woman approached the driver and asked him for directions to an address, then she detonated the bomb without any warning.
'It was horrific. The bus was blown to bits and there was human debris everywhere. The whole roof and sides were just blown away.
'From what I saw, six people were killed including the driver, who didn't stand a chance.
'There were tourists among the dead and injured and I have been told many were British
Bruce, who has a nine-year-old daughter, Danielle, added: 'I was maybe 200 metres behind the bus when the bomb went off but some of the shrapnel struck me on the arm and I was treated in hospital.
'I wasn't seriously injured but I know I was very lucky. It is just terrible that something like this should happen.'
He said that the suicide bomber was a woman in her mid-20s and around 5ft 7in.
He added: 'She had black curly hair, the kind of style you used to get in the 70s, and was wearing a dress.
'It all happened so quickly it was difficult to take everything in.
'This was obviously a terrorist. But they are everywhere, even in London.
'My bar is popular with Irish and Scots and I can't see any of them being put off coming here because of what happened today, 'I am back working but I am still in a state of shock. This is something that will stay with me forever.'
Bruce said Kusadasi is particularly popular with young Britons who enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.
Another witness, Katie Barber, 20, was on holiday from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a group of four friends and has been using the beach bus regularly.
She said: 'We just feel really unsafe. It's horrible and it's really scary.
'We've seen this sort of thing at home but it really hits you when you're on holiday. We've been told to stay in the hotel and not go anywhere near the city centre.
'We've been taking that bus practically every day this week because our hotel is near Lady Beach. It's cheaper than a taxi, costs about 50p, and loads of tourists use it.
'We're going home tomorrow but it makes you feel really unsafe. We had to call home to reassure our loved ones. This shows you can't escape it anywhere.
'It seems to be getting more widespread now and it can happen to anyone.'
Last night there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks but Kurdish rebels have recently carried out bomb attacks in Aegean resort towns.
Tour operator Thomas Cook confirmed the dead British and Irish women and the five Britons injured were their customers.
She said: 'The company's overseas team is on hand to support the injured guests and their families.'
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said last night: 'We condemn this repugnant act, which has ruined the lives of so many innocent people.
'Our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims and their families
British ambassador Peter Westmacott is heading to Kusadasi and the Foreign Office have issued a helpline number - 020 7008 0000 - for concerned relatives.
Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: 'It is not possible to stop it 100 per cent, no matter how strict security measures you take'.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: 'There are six people dead. One is a British woman, one an Irish student and two are Turkish residents. We do not know the nationalities of the other two.'
Police suspect C-4 plastic explosives were used in the attack. Turkish intelligence officials say Kurdish rebels have hundreds of pounds of C-4 which they obtained from Iraq.
And they are believed to have sent 70 potential suicide bombers to towns and cities across Turkey
SundayMail
