Houston's Turkish community reacts to Istanbul airport attacks
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The terror attacks on Istanbul’s airport reverberated around the world, leaving thousands in Houston's Turkish community speechless.
“It's a very deep sorrow in my heart because nobody knows why they kill people, and the people who are killed -- they don't know why they have been killed for,” Tuba Alpat, a Turkish-American community leader.
At the Raindrop Turkish House, a non-profit for Turkish culture in Houston, members say it's significant that this terror attack happened during Ramadan, a time for selflessness.
“We are so saddened. We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks, and we are praying for the Turkish people and the people who are affected in Istanbul,” Mehmet Okumus, the president of Raindrop Turkish House.
“Seeing those innocent people traveling or meeting -- 10 minutes or 20 minutes they were going to meet with their families who’s waiting for them…it's terrible seeing those people who are losing their lives,” Mahmut Gok, the president of Embrace Relief, a non-profit relief organization.
For many, the horror is in the unknown.
Suicide bombers hit the international terminal of Istanbul's Ataturk airport, and now, many are waiting for the names to come out of the dozens who died during the explosions.
Many within the Turkish community said this is a heartrending pain that crosses the divide.
“A Muslim doing something in a western county is named terror. But when it happens in a Muslim country and a Muslim does it, it's still terror. So there is no nation, there is no logic behind terror, and it's unexplainable,” said Alpat.