Experts are worried that Turkey will soon be hit by an al-Qaida-orchestrated terror attack.

In November 2003 Istanbul was hit by a terror attack that targeted two synagogues, a British bank and the British consulate, killing more than 50 people and injuring 700 others.

Turkish security officials arrested Loai al-Saqa, a Syrian man who was later convicted as the key perpetrator behind the bombings; he received the order to attack from bin Laden' title='Osama bin Laden' class='tpstyle'>Osama bin Laden, officials said. Another 48 terrorist suspects were arrested and later convicted in connection with the attacks -- a surprisingly high level of support that had security experts fear more bombings.

But nothing much happened since then.

Nevertheless, Turkish security officials have been increasingly worried recently; over the past few months, they on repeated occasions arrested terror suspects; in January they were even engaged in a 12-hour gunfight with an al-Qaida cell that left five people dead, including one police officer. While no information surfaced about their plans, the cell had stashed away weapons and explosives in great style.